Come Home
by yodawgiherd
Summary: Crosspost from AO3 (Direct continuation of the story after chapter 101) After the events in Marley, Eren reunites with his lover Mikasa and his old friends to face the new enemy of Paradis. New allegiances are made as the world progresses around them, events spinning out of their control. Together again, will they be able to defeat the biggest threat to the Eldian race?
1. Reunion

"Eren, please, come home. " She wants to say more. After all, this is the first time they see each other in months. But the words just don't come. There is so much she wants to tell him, so much to share, but all she can choke out are a few more words.

"Carla keeps asking for you, she… She doesn't understand…."

His eyes widen at the mention of their two years old daughter, the one he left behind when he took it upon himself to undertake this incredibly dangerous and in her opinion pointless mission.

"I…" , he wants to say more, but they are swiftly brought back to reality by echoing gunshots and shouts from the rooftops. The attack of the survey corps was surprising and hit hard, but there were more and more Marley soldiers coming and it was quite clear that sooner rather than later the shock of the attack will wear off and they will be overwhelmed.

"We need to go", Mikasa exclaims, extending her hand towards Eren. He takes it, and she pulls him to his feet. "Can you get down? ", she asks, while the new gear is amazing when it comes to maneuverability and speed of transportation, its really not made to carry more then one person.

"I can jump", he says, looking at the pavement below them, "Worst case, ill just have to heal some broken bones, ", the smile he shoots her warms her heart, but she fights it down and scowls at him instead.

"We really have no time to wait for you to heal, get down, and then make your way to the edge of the city, we have a safehouse there, right next to the docks. "

He nods and slides down the dissolving titans back, hitting the ground with a thud. She forces her eyes off him, they will have time to talk later. Survival was now the foremost thing. As always when it came to the two of them.

Quickly checking her remaining gas, she makes her way back towards the rooftop, where the rest of the corps is holding back the advancing number of soldiers.

"Eren is on his way, we need to get out of here, " Levi looks at her and nods, quickly passing new orders to the corps.

"Everyone, regroup and fall back. We need to scatter to create as much diversion as possible, you all know where to go. Time to leg it, now. " The rest of the soldiers immediately jump to obey and under a blanket of cover fire start to fly in different directions. Mikasa herself separates from the bunch and starts running the pre-planned route shooting any marleyan that is stupid enough to get in her sights.

When they started training with the newly developed gear, combination of the classic one and the stuff they have taken from the military police, she immediately fell in love with it. The freedom of movement it offered with the extended range of the guns made any skilled user a killing machine. And they were skilled with it. All of them.

Her retreat was far from flawless, but in the end, she managed to lose any pursuers. As she neared the safehouse, she descended on the streets and made the rest of the route on foot. When the door creaked open, she saw that Levi was already there, sitting by the table. And Eren was present. When he saw her, his face lit up as he closed to the distance between them in two quick steps and threw her arms around her. She wanted to be angry at him. She had every right. But he was here, he was safe, and she couldn't hold back her own arms that sneaked their way around him to hug him back.

The magic of the moment was quickly broken by Levi's voice, "Save this shit, we need to wait for the rest to arrive and then there will be questions." He was eyeing Eren with almost open hostility. "If you think you are getting out of this easily Yeager, you are fucking wrong. "

Eren let go of her and made his way back to his spot where he slouched against the wall. Mikasa almost immediately missed his warm but the corporal was right. Now was no time to catch up.

Luckily the rest of the corps arrived in short intervals. None of them seriously harmed in any manner. As they crowded the small room, Eren seemed to grow more and more tense. The time to explain was coming and there was no escaping this time. Finally, Levi cleared his throat and looked straight at him.

"All right, since everyone is here I believe we can start with a simple question. What the fuck were you thinking Yeager? One morning you just disappear, with nothing but a note to explain yourself. Everyone is furious. You almost delivered the attack titan and the coordinate to the hands of the enemy. What would you do if we didn't come? You were getting your ass handed to you. "

"I... "

"No, shut the fuck up. I don't care what you were doing the months that you were alone, but now you are in presence of a superior officer and you will hold your fucking mouth until I tell you to. You have no idea how fucking angry we are with you. And if you are stupid enough not to care about military, then what about personal reasons. You left your fucking daughter, your fucking girlfriend to go die in this shithole of country with this retarded plan of yours. Now, you can talk. "

Eren stands and quickly scans the room, his eyes lingering just a fraction of second longer on Mikasa.

"First, I want to thank you all for coming, you were right, i was getting my ass handed to me, and you saved me. Frankly, I was wrong. I thought that Willy was the holder of the titan, and I could get him with a surprise attack. Clearly it didn't work. As for my reasons, I believe I explained them in the letter I left behind. The war with Marley is inevitable. They are bigger and better armed then we are. Coordinated attack would be our doom. This was a provocation, now the people will pressure the command to attack quickly. With number of the army commanders gone, they will have problems with infrastructure. We will have a way bigger chance to fight them off. "

"This still hardly gives you the right to do what you did", Levi was visibly angry now, his voice shaking. "You have no fucking idea what would happen if they got you, do you? With almost all the titans in their hands, they would crush us. You and your stupid fucking planning almost doomed us. "

"I'm ready to explain myself"

"And you will, to the court, right as we get back. "

Levi shook his head, visibly disgusted.

"Mikasa, you are his guard from now on, please make sure that he doesn't do anything stupid. "

"Yes, sir. "

"The rest of you, the extraction is tomorrow at first light, Jean take the first watch, rest of you, try to get some sleep. ", he waves his hand towards Eren, "Mikasa, take this asshole to your room and make sure he doesn't leave. "

She nods and leads Eren out of the room and up the stairs to her place. It's a small one, with just one bed and a nightstand. Her bag is at the foot of the bed, already packed in preparation for the extraction. As she ushers him inside and closes the door behind them, she realizes how close they are standing. Without thought, her hand reaches up to run through his hair.

"Its gotten pretty long. "

His hand mirrors her movement, burying itself in her hair as he gently scratches her scalp.

"You cut yours again. "

She smiles and leans into his touch, "It's best this way, the new gear has a lot of straps the hair could catch in. "

They both move at the same time and suddenly, they are kissing, her hand sliding to his neck to pull him closer while his fall to her waist. And she knows this is stupid, they shouldn't be doing this. Their comrades as just a room away, they just escaped death, they could be discovered and attacked at any moment, but she just can't bring herself to care. And from the intensity of his kiss, he doesn't care either.

When they finally part to breathe, their foreheads remain touching. Its like neither of them wants to go too far from the other one.

"I missed you, I missed you so much. ", she finally manages to say those words she wanted to tell him back on the titan. And she feels tears pooling in her eyes. This is too much.

"I missed you more. " His hands on her waist tightens, almost as if he was afraid that she will slip away from his grasp. "I dreamt about you, about you both, I felt terrible after I left. " He looks directly into her eyes, and she sees that they are filled with pain, longing, and all those emotions she feels herself.

"Please Mikasa, forgive me, I know I hurt you, but I love you, so much. Nothing will change that. "

The tears from her eyes are now freely flowing down her cheeks as she takes a shuddering breath.

"I forgive you Eren, I love you too, you know that. "

He smiles at her words, and pulls her close again, their mouths meeting halfway. As the kisses grow hungrier, she realizes that she wants more. Her hands wander to the buttons of his shirt as she starts undoing them. His hands also spring to action as they start tugging at the straps of her gear and uncoiling her scarf.

"How many belts does this thing have? ", he mutters between kisses and he feels her smile curving against his lips.

"Enough to keep me in air, here, let me help. " She finished unbuttoning his shirt and moves to herself, her fingers undoing the straps with much more success then his.

It takes some time but finally they are gone, and he starts taking off her shirt, showing it down her arms. His top follows hers and now they are touching skin to skin, and it feels so good, she doesn't know how she managed to live without it.

She's pushy, he notices as her tongue makes its way into his mouth and her hands run over his chest. Next comes a push and he falls to the bed, Mikasa quickly straddling his waist and pulling his head back for another kiss.

Her hands leave him to move behind her back and soon she's completely bare to him, her bra joining the growing pile of clothes on the floor.

Its always like this with her. She may look cold towards the outer world but in moments of passion she is like a fire. It was the same when he finally realized he loved her. It was some time after they reached the ocean and he finally saw what a stupid ass he was towards her.

When he finally mustered up the courage to tell her. He picked some flowers and made his way to her room where he, with lot of stammering and his face as red as her scarf, confessed what he felt. He didn't expect her to kiss him with enough force that he fell on her bed. And things kind of escalated from there.

Few hours later, when they were laying naked together, his hand idly making circles on her back, they talked. They talked about the future, about them. In the end they both agreed that they simply don't want to stay apart, especially considering Erens limited time.

They didn't plan the pregnancy, but it sort of happened and neither of them were willing to get rid of the baby. In nine months Mikasa gave birth to their daughter, Carla. As important as it was, it didn't really change things. They were both still required in the military.

Mikasa got very quickly back into form, mastering the new gear fastest of the corps. The only change there was that now they had a bigger room appointed together. They didn't have time to take care of the baby full time, but luckily there was enough women in the city willing to watch the daughter of the shifter and the strongest female soldier. It was a pure joy while it lasted. That was, until he left.

And now they were together again, after months of separation. There was so much to talk about. But she didn't want to talk. Not now. She physically hungered for his touch. And he touched her. His hands run over her stomach up to her chest. His fingers squeezing her breasts earning a moan from her, muffled by his mouth.

After a few moments of this, she feels the familiar heat in the pit of her stomach, the wetness between her legs. She pushes forward and dips her hands down to his pants, undoing his belt.

But he can't do this, he doesn't deserve it. He left her. He left their daughter. He is not supposed to feel good. So he shifts their position and lowers her to the bed, his mouth moving down to kiss her neck and lower to tongue her nipple. Her moans grow louder, and she slaps a hand to her mouth to muffle them as he continues his journey, dragging his lips down her abs to the place between her legs.

Eren sits up just long enough to pull off her boots and pants, quickly followed by the only remaining clothing piece on her body. He takes a moment then, just to look at her, because never in his life has he ever seen something so beautiful as her naked body. Its chiseled muscles and scars that some men could perhaps consider unattractive are perfect to him. He doesn't deserve her. He knows as much. He puts her legs on his shoulders and lowers his face towards her, licking her slit and tasting her. Its not the first time they have done this, and he knows what she likes. Soon she is fidgeting beneath him, her hips grinding into his mouth and her hand flying down to grip his hair. It doesn't take him long to finish her off, his mouth sucking at her clit hard enough to make her cry out. Her legs shaking on his shoulders as she comes.

Eren sits up and absently wipes his mouth, his hands rubbing soothing circles into her hips, watching her as she comes back from her high. Soon they are kissing again, her hands back on his pants and he can't fight back. Not only she is stronger, but he aches for her. The taste and smell of her turning him on in a way that's borderline painful.

Mikasa hooks a leg on his hip and switches their position again, pulling of his pants and underwear in one quick shove. Then he is in her hand and she start pumping, slowly, her thumb smoothing over the tip. He is already turned on, and with her soft but strong hand on him, he knows he won't be able to last long.

"Mikasa, if you keep this up, I don't think ill be able to continue afterwards. "

She shoots him a smile and kisses him, straddling his waist in the progress. Her fingers lines him up and she's sinking down, taking him slowly in. She doesn't stop until he is all the way in, just then taking a moment to adjust.

His hands finds her hips as she starts moving, her teeth sinking into bottom lip to keep as quiet as possible. He finds that he must do the same, because this feels so too good. She's warm and tight and exactly the same as he remembers her.

He manages to hold on just long enough for her to come first, her insides clamping down on his member and massaging it is just too much for him to handle. He comes inside her with a groan falling from his lips, mixing his release with hers.

They soon settle into embrace and he throw the covers over them, to keep them warm in the coming night. The silence stretches but he finds himself unable to say anything. This moment is just too perfect to break. Soon there will be more problems. The extraction. Home, he still must explain his decisions to the queen and hope that she will see his way. And if his plan was actually a success, the war was coming.

Yet he finds himself content. As long as the two of them are together, he feels like he can take on the world. Looking down on the woman on his chest, he knows she feels the same. The rare smile cracking her lips as their eyes lock and he moves to kiss her again.


	2. Homecoming

For once, their plans worked exactly as they wanted them to. The extraction went smoothly. With most of the troops concentrated in the city center, no one was really paying attention to the edges. Levi said that they were lucky, with Eren obliterating most of the command structure of the Marley military, there was confusion and vacuum of power. With no one to command, the soldiers didn't have proper intelligence and orders to follow.

They boarded the prepared ship and departed, mostly in silence. Eren tried talking to the corps, his friends he has not seen for months, but he found himself surprised how much they all changed. Levi resorted to shooting him icy glances and not responding to any question he had. Connie, now taller and broad shouldered, didn't give him the silent treatment, but also wasn't really talkative. Jean was just staring into the ocean and from his scent and bloodshot eyes, Eren deduced that he was in fact quite drunk. The only person apart from Mikasa who was willing to exchange more then one word with him was Sasha.

The brown-haired girl didn't really seem bothered much by the whole mission or the fact that he left Paradis behind in order to infiltrate Marley. She told him much about what happened on the island in his absence. Armin was promoted all the way up to general recently and the speed of the promotion brought up some complaints, which were rather quickly shut down by the queen herself. This also explained why he was absent from the rescue mission. Historia continued her rule with no problems, the young queen being very popular with the people. As she was getting more comfortable in her place, other nobles were quite quickly discovering that she is very smart but also very focused on her own agenda and cannot be swayed. Her orphanage grew, although she hardly had the time anymore to visit it more then few times a month.

This all added up with the info he got from Mikasa last night. They mostly talked about their little family, not much about the overall state of Paradis. Carla was over two years old now, and she was growing beautifully. Mikasa told him that she started to talk, although her vocabulary was limited to a few words.

"She asked for you, ", she said last night, laying on his bare chest and drawing idle circles with her finger "she asked for daddy even when she didn't see you for so long, she remembers. "Eren felt a mixture of pain and pride at the statement. Carla was the one he felt like he betrayed the most. Fuck the military. His time was already short, and he left his own daughter. Even when the deed was already done it pained him. But there was no other way. He was sure of that.

 _Meanwhile in Marley_

General Magath's fist thumped on the table. He felt anger rising inside. They were just attacked by the fucking usurper, and all these men wanted to do was sit around and argue.

"Are you all completely blind to what just happened? Willy Tybur gave his _life_ for this declaration of war. And you don't want to attack right away? "

The eyes of the others around the table turned to him. There were just a few now. Maybe the Attack titan was not strong enough to defeat the Warhammer, but his surprising assault took heavy toll on the ruling class. There were just a few commanders of the military left. Magath first looked at it like a blessing in disguise. While he surely mourned the deceased, the low number of remaining officers meant more power for him. That was until he found out that those who survived are the most scared soldiers he ever met. His proposition of immediate counter attack on the Paradis devils was met with silence and refusals.

"General, we do not have the forces prepared right now. We need to wait until more can be mobilized. And don't forget that our strongest weapon is immobilized right now. "

To everyone's surprise, the Tybur lady survived the treacherous attack to her nape. She was in a critical condition however, her regeneration ability completely drained. She didn't even wake up yet.

"And you, gentlemen, are forgetting that we have more then one titan available. Both Zeke and Reiner survived the attack. Galliard and Pieck were also unharmed. We are more then ready to go. "

Silence. That was all they had to say to that. And he was done. Done expecting things from cowards. He missed Willy. That was a man with a plan, capable of drawing others to see his way. Not Magath. He was a soldier. And he will do, what needs to be done. Even alone.

General Magath stood up and left the room. Once outside, he immediately sent orders for the military to mobilize. The usurper won't get away with this. Not on his watch.

 _Back on the ship_

"Are those really necessary? "Eren asked, pointing at the manacles Levi was holding.

"I don't know why are you so surprised Jaeger. I told you, according to every law we have, you are a traitor. Here, ill let Ackerman tie you up, she surely has some experience with it. "Levi said, giving the manacles to now blushing Mikasa.

"Don't worry Eren, it's just for show.", she said, locking his hands in the metal circlets, "The people needs to see that crimes are punished, it's the same like when we got locked up for disobeying orders during the battle at Shiganshina, remember?"

Eren did remember. He also didn't really feel threatened with her at his side. He knew she wouldn't let any serious harm come to him. But those manacles meant that he will be held as a prisoner until the court hearing. That meant more time wasted before he can see his daughter again.

"All right, let's get this over with ", he said, and made his way down the gangplank. Back to the island he left to start a war.


	3. Dungeon

Three days. They left him locked up for three days without anyone he knew coming to visit. All the time he thought about what is going to happen to him next. He was supposed to be taken to court hearing or something. Instead Levi ordered Mikasa to hand him over to some guys in uniform who promptly took him down to the dungeons and locked him up. They didn't even take his handcuffs off. In some perverse way it was pleasing, that they were so afraid of him, but after some time it was just annoying. No one talked to him, no one answered his questions. He was alone. That was until he heard a familiar voice on the evening of the third day.

"Is he here? "

"Miss, no one is supposed to… "

" I asked you a question soldier. Is. He. Here?"

" Y-Yes… Just this way."

Eren stood up and went to the bars. He was soon greeted by the sight of the jailor accompanied by very pissed looking Mikasa.

" See, he is right here, now…", the young man however didn't get to finish his sentence.

" Ill take the keys to the cell, and to his cuffs," Mikasa said, extending her hand.

" B-But…"

" Do you really want to argue with me? Do you know who I am?" Mikasa was looking outright dangerous right now. Surrounded by the murderous aura she usually reserved for the titans.

" Yes yes, excuse me please, here you go." The keys quickly exchanged owners.

" Now I want you to leave and don't come back, I'll take care of watching him from now on."

All the soldier could do was bow as he quickly made his way out of the dungeon. Mikasa sighed and her expression softened. She quickly unlocked the cell doors and his handcuffs and pulled Eren into a hug.

" Eren, are you okay?"

" I'm fine, but what took everyone so long?"

" It's complicated," she said, taking a seat on his bed, with Eren sitting next to her. Mikasa did look tired, he noted.

" The orders we had when we came home were from a group of nobles, not from Armin or the queen. So Levi basically handed you to them without knowing. This particular group is in some kind of conflict with Historia right now, so they wanted to use you as a bargaining chip. No one knew where you were, but the Survey corps eventually found out. I came as fast as I could."

" What about the trial?"

" It got postponed when no one could find you, but it is still happening. There might be a few people pushing for some kind of punishment, but we are pretty sure it won't be anything serious. After all, you are invaluable in the upcoming war."

" Did you get home?" Eren asked in a low voice. Part of him was afraid of seeing his daughter again. What if she won't recognize him? What if she will hate him?

Mikasa must have sensed his fears because she wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him close.

" Yes, I did. Carla is all right. I didn't tell her you were back though, I want it to be a surprise for her. Ah and also," she smiled," The lady babysitting her told me that she keeps destroying her toys, its not that she wants to, but she seems to be stronger than normal babies of her age."

Eren couldn't hold back his own smile when he heard that.

" I told you she will take a lot after you. Now I will have to deal not with one, but two superwomen ordering me around."

Suddenly he felt her hand on his jaw, angling his head to hers until they were just a few centimeters apart." I'm sure you will love it", she whispered before pressing her lips on his.

He didn't really see where it was coming from, but he certainly didn't mind. The guards were gone and the dungeon was empty save for them. Seemed like the crime rates were record low under the young queen's rule.

She soon moved to his lap, straddling his waist as they continued kissing. Her soft lips moving with his as she started rocking her hips. He groaned into the kiss, and she very quickly took advantage of the opening and slid her tongue into his mouth. Eren didn't really follow, since his mind was quite unable of thinking at the moment, but somehow, he found himself shirtless, with Mikasa's deft fingers working on his belt.

Eren didn't really mind where this was going, but him being suddenly naked and her still in full uniform was not something he very much approved of. He tried protesting, but she silenced him with another fierce push of her mouth onto his as she toppled him, and they fell on the bed together. Her weight pushing him into mattress, he tried moving his fingers to her buttons to help her get rid of the uniform, but she caught his wrists. He looked up to her, dazed, to see that her lips are bend in a crooked smile.

" See, I would let you help me undress, but you are a dangerous criminal, so I don't think I can trust you"

Her hands moved, taking his wrists above his head where she locked them in her unbreakable grasp.

" And I think dangerous criminals should be secured, don't you agree?" With that she pulled the handcuffs from which she freed him just moments ago, and locked them around his wrists again, effectively securing both of his hands to the metal frame of the bed above his head.

With a last fleeting kiss, she crawled off him and out of the bed. Standing up, she looked down at him with a predatory gaze, her eyes darkened. Hands traveling up her body as she started undressing. She did it with in an incredibly slow fashion. Unwinding the scarf from her neck, undoing the buttons of her shirt, all those actions that usually didn't take them longer then a minute were stretched out until Eren was sure that he's going to go mad with want.

" Mika, you are killing me here,"

She smiled down on him, as she made her way back on top of his body, the only thing changed being that now she was completely nude. She kissed him again her body touching his in all the right places, his discomfort quickly flowing away and being replaced with pure bliss. But this didn't last long. She soon starts moving her lips down his body, playfully biting his nipple which makes him yelp in surprise. She grins at that reaction but doesn't stop, moving lower and lower with a clear intent. Soon her mouth is upon his member, taking him in. He moans at the sensation, all his nerves overflowing with the pleasure she is giving him. He is forced to grit his teeth to muffle the sounds he wants to make. As in everything she does, Mikasa is damn good at this. Going like this, there is no way he will last long. He tells her as much, but she doesn't stop, instead choosing to hollow out her cheeks and suck, her tongue drawing circles on the tip. He comes with a curse he can't hold in anymore. She doesn't let go until he's done, cleaning the rest of him up with her tongue.

When she crawls her way back up his body, the smirk on her face is dazzling.

" You are amazing Mikasa, did I ever tell you that?"

She smiles at him, all pretty, and dips her head to kiss him, which he returns eagerly.

" Maybe I could, you know, return the favor, but you will have to let me out of the cuffs."

She sits up and shakes her head, the smile never leaving her lips. She clearly has some kind of plan he realizes, when she starts moving again, this time in opposite direction. Her intention become quite clear when she settles her crotch right in front of his face. And Eren Yeager was never one to back from the challenge. So he sticks out his tongue to lick at her, determined not to let her down.

Mikasa is very quick to lose herself, fisting one hand in his hair, her abdominal muscles flexing as her hips ride his face. In this position, with hands tied to the frame he has very limited control over the whole action, but he does his best to keep up with her. And judging from the sounds she's making, he's doing pretty good job. Her other hand makes its way down to rub her clit and soon after she comes with a moan, her legs shaking as she rides her high on his tongue.

When Mikasa regains her senses enough, he half expects her to free him, but his hopes are cut short when she starts moving again. This time settling on his hips he feels her fingers run up and down his length, before grabbing him and giving him a few strokes. Eren groans at her actions, but is soon forced to chomp into his bottom lip to keep quiet when she lowers herself onto him.

His efforts to keep quiet are soon made even harder when she starts moving on him. They are both already worked up and it doesn't take her long to get close again, her head falling back, her eyes closed as pleasure starts building up in her body. He doesn't want to come before her, so he sinks his nails into his palms, bites the inside of his mouth and fights the incoming tide. He just manages it. As soon as he feels her insides clench upon him, signaling her own release, he is lost.

Exhausted, Mikasa falls on his chest, breathing hard, hew hot breath mingling with his. They take some time to regain their strength. Afterwards she finally frees him from the cuffs, noticing with amusement the red circles around his wrists he inflicted on himself when he pulled on the restraints.

They settle into an embrace afterwards sleep creeping down on them both. He wants to say something, but she's already fallen asleep. So Eren just kisses Mikasa's forehead and closes his own eyes, letting the exhaustion wash over him. He will need his strength in the trials to come.


	4. Trial

It took another two days before he was taken to the trail. The time, however, was quite pleasing this time around. With survey corps taking over the prison, his situation drastically improved. He was constantly "guarded" by one of the members, but his cell doors were open and he could go anywhere he wanted as long as it was inside the prison. He was still technically under arrest, so it would not be smartest if he went into the city. For the same reason he and Mikasa decided that she won't bring Carla to see him.

"Maybe showing her that daddy is in jail might not be the best for us. ", Eren remarked. "I've waited months to see her, I can wait a few more days. "

At least he got time to talk to the guys who weren't very communicative back on the ship. Connie still wasn't very friendly, but they finally exchanged more then few words. Jean was , to Eren's genuine surprise, the more talkative out of the two. When he wasn't drunk. He started drinking a bit even before Eren left, but the habit seemed to have gotten worse. Through him he found out that saving Eren was just part of the mission. The other part was stealing a number of vials with the titan serum and notes regarding the research of the titans. The corps were able to secure those before coming to his aid.

Jean was also the one guarding him when the rest of the squad came to escort him to the trial. Mikasa grimaced when she was locking the handcuffs around his wrists again.

"Got to appear professional now. We can't really escort a prisoner without him being locked up. "

The way to the courtroom was surprisingly quiet. The streets were busy, and no one was really paying attention to them. It gave Eren time to look around undisturbed. The city seemed to be doing well. A lot of traders have set their stands on the corners, selling their goods to the passing people. It made him remember the times when his mom would send him with Mikasa to the market. Picking up the items, getting beaten up by bullies and watch Mikasa beat them up in return. Simple times. But happy. Now he had to worry about his family. About the war. About the curse. He shook his head. When did everything become so complicated. Mikasa must have sensed his dark mood taking his hand in hers and squeezing it reassuringly. She also offered him one of her rare smiles. It was good to see her smile.

When they neared the building, Eren recognized it. It was the same courtroom where they almost gave him to the military police. The one he was judged in after he found out that he is a titan shifter. He smiled. Seems like destiny is really wanting to remind him of the past today. He was brought in the middle of the room where there was a stand made for him. At least they don't plan on chaining him to the stake again. He took his place in the stand with Connie and Sasha remaining with him as his guards. He would have preferred Mikasa, but it made sense that she didn't stay. Their relationship was not really a secret, and it may complicate things if the mother of his child would act as his guard. He was to be judged after all. The outlooks were good, considering the situation, but that didn't mean that it couldn't go wrong. His thoughts were cut short when the door opened, and the judges walked in.

He expected Armin or at least the queen herself, Historia, but neither of them were present. He didn't know these people. They bore themselves with the self-assurance of nobles. As soon as they took their places, the one sitting in the middle took a small hammer and hit the table.

"We declare this court now open. "

They all looked at Eren standing in the middle of the room.

"The first and only item on todays agenda is the case of Eren Yeager, who stand before us accused of high treason, desertion and cooperating with the enemy. How do you plead to these charges? "

It was his turn to speak. So, he looked around the room on faces of all those who came to see him today. The room was packed.

"Not guilty. "

The judge did not seem surprised. He immediately produced a thick file, opened it, and began reading.

"Is it not true that months back you took off on your own and made your way to the state of Marley? "

"Yes but…."

"The accused will answer only yes or no, do you understand? "

"Yes. "

"Very well. Let's continue. Did you not act against the orders of your superiors? "

"Yes. "

"Did you not contact the enemy and offered to fight for them, in exchange for safety of you and your family? "

"What? No! I did not do that! "

Now it was Eren's turn to be surprised. What the hell were they thinking? Offering himself to the enemy? Sure, he would do anything to keep Mikasa and Carla safe, but that could hardly be achieved by talking to the Marley leaders. Who even came up with charges like these?

"Is it not true that you had to be saved by the survey corps after you got into fight with an enemy you could not handle? "

"Yes, but… "

"So you did endanger the property of the crown, the two titans you harbor inside yourself! "

"Property of the crown? What is that supposed to mean? "

But the man was ignoring him. He turned towards the other judges.

"I think our course of action is laid clear before us. Eren Yeager is clearly no longer able to serve fully. His treacherous mind is no place for the weapons of our people. We must find a new host for them, and transfer his powers by the only way we know. By letting Yeager get eaten by someone we deem worthy."

The men behind the table seemed to agree with his words, murmuring their approval. Eren was stopped dead. They were going to execute him? In the corner of his eye he could see similar expressions on the faces of the rest of the corps. Mikasa was the first one to wake, her hand sliding down to the holster on her belt.

In exactly that moment the door flew open, Historia with Armin and number of soldiers behind her walking into the room.

"What is the meaning of this? Why was I not informed of the location of the hearing? "

Her frame was still tiny, but her voice carried strength. The judges seemed to shrink under her gaze. The queen seemed to waste on time on them, as she immediately pointed on Eren.

"This man is now in the custody of the crown. Free him"

Sasha picked up the keys and unlocked the handcuffs. As she and the rest of the corps made their way to Historia. The nobles seemed to be out of words. All of them were just sitting silent as their unit made their way out of the door. No one talked to anyone as they walked out of the building and across the square. As they reached a similar looking building, the soldiers stayed outside and just a few bodyguards accompanied them up the steps. Soon they reached a room and with a gesture from Historia the guards took their places next to the door. The survey corps alongside Armin and the queen made their way inside and shut the door behind them.

"All right, " she said as she took a seat, "now we will talk Eren. " Her gaze focused on him and he felt his knees grow weak. When did she change this much?

"And you will explain to me what the hell did you do. "


	5. Regal Decree

You should not keep thing from your sovereign. So Eren didn't. He told her everything. Beginning with the realization of the current situation of the Eldian people and the different ways their conflict with Marley could be resolved. The truth was, before leaving, he thought about it a lot himself. The decision to go and infiltrate the enemy was not made in a rush. He just realized that there is no other way around. If they gave them the time they needed to prepare complete all-out assault, Eldians would get wiped out. And there was no way that they will just leave them alone. Not only because the stolen titans, but also if you create a prison and the inmates kill the guards, you go in to make order.

He told the queen about the events which followed his infiltration. Him posing as member of the military, getting hurt and being send to the ghetto hospital. Meeting the young warrior and subsequently Reiner and describing their conversation.

"What did you want to achieve by that? ", interrupted Armin, "Why talk with him about all those things? "

"Honestly, I don't really know. Truth is, I wanted to see him. I wanted to understand what has driven him all these years. What made him able to keep up the perfect disguise. The motive behind it all. "

Armin looked him in the eye. His expression seemed genuinely interested. "And did you? "

"Yes, I think I did. The brainwashing of young Eldians is smart and cruel, my friend. They are told that they are devils basically from the day they are born. I do not believe that it is completely their fault. Their minds are not their own. This goes for Annie too. "

On mention of Annie's name, Armin's gaze softened considerably. The process of getting her out of her crystal was hard and lengthy, but in the end they succeeded. It required Eren to use his coordinate while being in his titan form and touching Historia directly. It was a risk to be sure, but they made it work. It took them months before Eren found the correct way to express his will on Annie. In the end, with a roar from his titan, the crystal shattered, and her unconscious body fell on the ground. She was kept under guard ever since, but her cooperativeness and willingness to talk about Marley kept her from being executed. For now.

Eren knew that Armin had a weak spot for the blonde girl. That only worsened since he spent a lot of time with her. He was assigned as her guard, ordered to immediately transform and crush her, should she try to use her titan form to escape. Eren did not believe that she is innocent, but after seeing Marley for himself and his talk with Reiner and Falco, he did not see her as the monster he once did. She was just a girl when she was sent to the walls. Believing that she is working for a good cause. Believing that the people that died with their intervention were devils, not deserving to live. He should probably go and talk to her once this small problem with him being arrested was resolved.

"All right, enough about that, we can talk about Leonhart later. Eren, continue your story. ", said Historia, seemingly unmoved.

And he continued. He told her about his surprise attack, about finding out that Willy is not the Warhammer titan. His duel with the real one and his defeat at its hands.

"And then the Mikasa swooped in and saved my life. Again. ", he said, his voice sounding prouder then he intended it to. It used to bother him. Her saving him over and over again. But that was a thing of the past. Now he was nothing but grateful. Her strength, skill and dedication were things he admired her for, not hated. His past self, all in all, was quite stupid.

"This is troubling news. "Armin was now the one talking, putting one hand on his chin, seemingly deep in thought. "The powers of this new titan are terrifying. "

Historia looked up at him. "You think that he would be problem even for you? For your titan? "

"Yes. Normally, I could just use my mass to crush the smaller shifters. But if this titan can summon thirty-meter-tall spikes as he wants, he could easily keep me from getting close to him. And the hammer is a dangerous weapon. With this he could crush my knees or just overall break bones from safe distance. I can't get close to him if I can't walk. No, I don't think I could handle him on my own. Not without getting the drop on him. "

"That is a part of what I wanted to talk to you about. ", Eren said, "I think I finally figured out what the power of my titan is. The attack titan always advances. That means that he always evolves in order to attain its freedom. "

Armin looked up, hearing those words. "You mean to say that the titan needs challenge in order to evolve? "

"Exactly. It needs something strong, something powerful that keeps him from his goal. Then it can change, strengthen. Its part of the reason why I did not really improve in the last four years. The attack titan had no challenge. With the shifters and the normal titans gone from the island, there was no one left to fight. "

"And now you do? "

"Yes. Now that I got so spectacularly crushed, the titan spotted a new challenge. Now it needs to improve to overcome the Warhammer. I'm not saying that the next time we face against each other I will defeat her, but if what I think is correct, I will get stronger. It would also help me to train with Annie, if your highness would allow it. "

Both Mikasa's and Historia's eyes went wide upon hearing that request. But it was the queen who spoke first.

"You want to let the woman who wiped out the old special unit, the one who was hellbent on bringing you to the enemy transform? "

"I believe it would be for the best, yes. We need any help we can get. And she is strong. If we can persuade her to change the side, she would be invaluable to us. "

"And you believe you can achieve that? "

"I do not know. But I want to try. "

Historia shook her head in disbelief. "I will think about that. But first, I believe the time for your verdict has come, don't you think? "

Eren was just a bit disappointed that she did not let him off the hook. "If that is what her highness wants, then I'm ready to follow orders. "

Historia stood, and while being tiny, her regal aura seemed to shine out of her. "Eren Yeager, I sentence you to go home and take care of your daughter, who you left in your selfish quest to infiltrate the enemy. I believe you are already quite late anyway. I will think about your requests regarding Annie. ", she turned to Armin, "General, I want to see you tomorrow at first light, we have a war to plan. "With that, she left the room.

Eren got almost immediately crushed in a bear hug from his blonde friend. Armin certainly grew during the four years. Maybe because of the power of the titan he now carried, his height now matched Eren's. His hair got even longer, and he wore it tied in a ponytail nowadays. But even with the recent promotions and new burdens being set on his plate, he did not seem to lose his cheerful attitude towards his friend.

"I missed you buddy. "

"I missed you too, sorry for all the trouble I have caused. "

"It's all right, after all, I agree with you. The Marley problem would just not disappear on its own. And even if I wouldn't do it exactly the same way you solved it, the message would be the same. Provoking our enemy into an attack that will be split him is the best we can do for now. "

"Thanks, you don't know how much it means to me. "

"Ok, Eren, we will talk later, I got some stuff to take care of, and I believe you have someone really special waiting for you. "said Armin, winked on him and took his own leave. The rest of the squad stood up, murmured their goodbyes and left. Before Eren realized it, he and Mikasa were the only ones still in the room.

"All right Eren, "she said, extending her hand towards him. "Time to see our daughter again. "

They walked slowly, hand in hand, through the streets. Towards their home. It was the same one that was destroyed during the first breach of the walls. Repairing it was a thing he and Mikasa worked on, with some help, together during the four years, devoting most of their free time to it. Now it stood again, hardly different from the time he and his parents lived there.

Finally making it in front of the building, Eren smiled on the woman next to him, gently squeezing her hand.

"Let's go inside, Mikasa. "


	6. Little one

Eren didn't feel this nervous since he went to confess to Mikasa about his feelings. Seeing his daughter after all this time… But his girlfriend was having none of it.

"Come on, she's waiting, ", she said as he was pulled through the door.

He slowly made his way inside, steeling himself for what is to come. His heart was beating in his chest. His palms were clammy. His throat was tight. Eren Yeager, the worst enemy of humanity, the Attack titan, the devil himself is afraid od his own daughter. What a story.

Mikasa wasted no time as she walked through the house to the living room. She was greeted by an older woman with brown hair with grey strands. It was the same nanny they hired a few years back to babysit Carla when their military duties kept them from taking care of her themselves. Her name was Rose, and she was a very kind mother of her own two sons whose father used to be in the corps himself. He was one of the fallen during the battle of Shiganshina.

"Mikasa! You sure took your time, Carla was asking for you all the time! And… ", her voice was cut short when she spotted Eren standing awkwardly in the hall. "Eren? Is that you? "

"Yes, hello Rose. How is… ", the slap was unexpected. For a woman of her stature, she sure packed a punch.

"How could you! Abandoning your family like this! Do you have any idea how much it hurt them? You can't just pack up and disappear, it does not work like this! "

Eren felt like he is shrinking under her gaze.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. I didn't want to, there was just no other way. "

"There is always a better way then just straight up running solo into another danger. "

"Not this time Rose, I'm afraid. "

The woman seemed like she had more to say, but Mikasa interrupted her.

"I know you mean well, but we must sort this out between ourselves. Thank you for watching over her when we were gone. But please, give us some privacy now. "

Rose's gaze immediately softened when she looked at her.

"Of course. It was out of line, I apologize. Shall I come tomorrow at the usual time? "

"Yes please, I don't believe we can delay our return to the military by another day. "

Rose smiled, then shot Eren a very accusing glare and left. One down, one to go. And the real test has not even begun. Eren slowly walked into the living room, following Mikasa. And then he saw her, sleeping in her crib next to the table. Their daughter, Carla.

She definitely grew since he left. But other then that, she was the same as he remembered her. The same mop of dark brown hair, resembling his own. Her skin was more tanned then Mikasa's pale shade, but her face was resembling hers. The same slant eyes, the gentle curve of her small nose, the same rosy lips. She was beautiful. As if she somehow sensed the change or personnel in the room, she began stirring.

"She's waking up ", Mikasa made her way to the crib and gently picked her up.

"Hey baby, did u miss me? "

Carla's eyes fluttered open as she looked on her mother. Her mouth immediately widened in a smile as she started babbling excitedly. Mikasa spun her around, making her giggle, before walking to Eren.

"And look who is here Carla, daddy is back! "

The smile only grew wider as she extended her arms towards him. Eren took her and held her against his chest, feeling his heart tighten. The magic of the moment broke slightly when Carla decided that his hair is too long, taking a stand into her fist and tugging. It hurt. The combination of emotional overwhelming and the repeated tugs on his hair made Eren's eyes water. Before he realized it, tears were streaming down his face.

"Daddy's home beautiful, and I promise I won't leave you ever again. "

They spent rest of the day playing with their daughter, who was overjoyed to have both of her parents back. Before long, the sky outside darkened and Carla who almost fell asleep standing, was quickly washed and put back into her bed. Soon she was back in the world of dreams, and Eren and Mikasa could take a breather.

"She's amazing. ", said Eren, feeling the incredible happiness inside that he missed all this time. Being here, with his family, was something that he cherished beyond words. The possibility to just forget all the worlds problems, even for a time, was just the thing he needed.

Mikasa was wearing a small satisfied smile when she stretched, the day taking toll even on the invincible soldier.

"So now that she's asleep, maybe we could do something fun, the two of us? "her voice dropped to a breathy whisper, that sent jolts up Eren's spine.

"Well, ", he said as he shifted closer, "I would certainly like that, if you are willing. "

She reached up and ran her hand through his hair, gripping and pulling him closer until their lips crashed into each other's. Soon they were kissing with wild abandon, tongues and teeth coming together in their passion. Eren ran his hands down her back, gripping her ass as she jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. He tried to set her on the table, but she didn't get down.

"Not here, "she rolled her eyes pointing at Carla sleeping just a few feet away.

"Sorry ", he grinned, "sometimes you make me forget myself. "

He picked her up and carried her upstairs to their bedroom. As soon as he sat her down on the bed, she started working on her clothes, shedding them in lighting speed. He hurried to catch up. In just a few short moments they were bare to each other, the sight they both knew so well, but couldn't get enough of. He slowly ran his hand up her stomach, tracing the outlines of her chiseled abdominal muscles with the tips of his finger as he kissed her, willing to just lose himself in her scent, in her touch. It drove him crazy.

He laid her down on the bed. Kissing her again, before slinking his lips down her neck, over her breast and stomach and willing to continue even lower, but his journey was interrupted by her hand gripping a handful of his hair and pulling him back upwards.

"Something wrong? ", he asked, puzzled.

"Cut the foreplay tonight Eren, I just want you. "

He smiled upon hearing that, returning to her lips as he aligned himself. The tight heat enveloping him was nothing new, but every time somehow felt even better then the last. As he slowly pushed himself in, he could hear her soft moans over the sound of him panting. When he bottomed out, he waited for a moment, letting her adjust, until he left her lips graze his earlobe as she gave him an order.

"Move. "

Yes Ma'am. He picked up the pace, slowly at first, but gradually increasing. She matched him every step of the way, her hips moving in sync with his. They hardly parted mouths for more then a few breaths as he let his hands roam over her body, touching her breasts and rolling her nipples between his fingers. As he felt his pleasure increasing dangerously he was torn from her with a sudden push on his chest. He fell on his ass, his mind quite unable to comprehend what was happening, since it was at this moment working at about five percent of usual capacity.

He was just about to ask what is happening, when he saw Mikasa turn around, get on her knees and push her ass into the air. Eren was quick to understand what she wanted from him, as he took his place behind her and pushed back in again, this new angle giving him ability to reach deeper inside her walls. He groaned at the feeling, this time picking up the pace right away, not waiting for her word. She seemed to approve of this course of action, judging from the sounds falling from her lips.

It didn't take them long to find their highs, her release mixing with his as Mikasa's whole body shook under him and he bit into her shoulder to keep quiet. Eren didn't know how much time they spent on the bed, just laying next to each other catching their breaths. She was the first to wake as she stood up, making her way towards the bathroom.

He was just about to ask if she wanted company, not feeling quite done for the night, when she looked over her shoulder, her eyes still darkened with arousal.

"Want to wash my back? "

He almost tripped over his feet as he bolted up and followed her.

Some considerable time later, when they finally made their way back towards the bed on unsteady legs, when she lays down and he hugs her waist from behind relishing in the feeling as she molds into him perfectly, he questions himself how did he ever deserve her, deserve them. But now is no time for such questions, he is way too tired. So he just closes his eyes, and let the sweet scent of her hair lull him into sleep.


	7. Preparations for War

There was blood everywhere. His own hands were stained by it. His clothes, or rather what was left of them, were soaked by the red liquid. Eren looked around, but he couldn't see very far. The edges of the small clearing were covered by thick darkness. Everything was eerily silent. He stood up from the ground and immediately winced. His whole body was in pain. He checked and immediately saw the cause of his discomfort. He had wounds everywhere. Big cuts gushing blood, his ribs felt like they are on fire and he could not open one eye. This was weird, wasn't he supposed to heal these wounds? But when he tried to, there was nothing. It felt like he had no abilities at all. Then something caught his attention. The sight of a body lying on the ground in front of him. His heart stopped beating. It was Mikasa.

He wobbled over to her, and fell to his knees. Reaching out, he smoothed some of her short hair back from her face. People used to say that deceased looks like they are sleeping. This wasn't her case. Even in death, her face showed defiance. Her mouth permanently set in the thin line that usually meant that she is upset about something. Her brow was furrowed in concentration. The surroundings indicated that she didn't go out quietly. Her blades lied next to her, one broken, both coated in a thick sheen of dried blood. The guns they used as addition the swords were close, magazines out, all of them completely empty. Her new maneuvering gear was wrecked, the canisters missing, straps tore off and metal parts cracked. The cause of her demise was clear to see. Her body was wrecked by uncountable number of gunshots. The holes were old enough not to bleed anymore, instead they gaped at Eren in silent accusing gaze. His breathing stopped. This couldn't be happening. Just as he reached out to pick her up, he saw something. Something that he never imagined even in his worst nightmare.

The small body was blooded almost to point of no recognition. Her brown hair was half gone, burned away. One of her small arms were missing. Eren felt bile rising up in his throat. What kind of monster could have done this? But he knew. This were the fruits of the war. The war he himself initiated. No, not like this. He crawled to Carla. Slowly he picked her up and started rocking the remains of her on his chest. There was a hollow feeling in there. He didn't care what could happen to him. He didn't care what the future held. There was nothing that could make him want to live anymore. His heart was dead. So, he did the only thing that still made sense. He tipped his head back and screamed. And the world answered. The world shook with the uncountable number of colossal titans freeing themselves from the walls and marching. Marching to trample the world beneath their feet.

Eren bolted up upright in the bed. His chest was heaving and sweat was running down his body. The hollowness inside was gnawing at him. Mikasa, a light sleeper, immediately woke and sat up herself.

"Eren, what's wrong? ", she asked, worried. Then she saw the state of him, and knew what happened. They were no strangers to nightmares. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close, "Shh, baby, its fine, you are safe, we are all safe. "

He hugged her in return, reveling in the feeling of her smooth warm skin on his. She was alive, it was just a dream. But the uneasiness in his chest didn't go away completely.

"Mikasa, I need to see her. "

"Was she in the dream? "

"Yea, she was the part of it, I just need to see that she is safe, please. "

She nodded, and they got out of bed, slowly making their way downstairs. Here she was. Sleeping soundly in the crib. Just as she was when they went upstairs. Mikasa hugged him from behind, kissing his cheek and putting her head on his shoulder.

"See? Everything is okay. We are fine. "

He intertwined his fingers with hers. Lifted her hand to his lips and pressed them to her knuckles. They were safe. But for how long?

In the morning, after they bathed, dressed and ate breakfast together, Rose came back and, pointedly ignoring Eren, greeted Mikasa. She took Carla out for walk, while her parents made their way towards the military headquarters. The army evolved in the four years. With the titans eradicated, the roles of the branches changed significantly. The scouts were tasked mostly with mapping of the new areas and keeping watch over the shores. The garrison numbers thinned considerably, the remnants of them were still on the walls, although their function was more focused on checking the walls for cracks instead of really guarding them. The real enemy will come from the sea. The military police were reformed and made into an actual police force instead of shady militant group enforcing the will of the ruling class.

As they neared the scout headquarters, they noticed a number of people crowding the streets around. They shouldered their way in, being stopped by a young guard. When he got a better look at them, he immediately saluted and let them pass. The building itself was busy, despite the moderately early hour. Back here, Eren was reminded of their life before the he left.

Now when they were basically veterans, their role was mostly to train the new recruits. The military ranks swelled following the extermination of the titans. They were heroes now. And everybody wanted to be close to the heroes. Considering that they basically had no orders for now, they made their way to Levi's office. The short man looked the same as he always did. Like seeing them was the worst thing that could happen to him.

"What do you shitheads want? "

"Orders, sir, we didn't really receive any. "

Levi put down the papers he was holding and rubbed his eyes.

"Good that you are here honestly, we are being flooded with new people. "

"Why is that sir? "

"Its part of the new campaign that hour illustrious highness launched. It's a part of the preparation for the war. "

"So we will be training recruits again sir? "

"Yea, that's the best we can do for now. We hardly have the time to make them into a full-fledged army, but we will do what we can to prepare them. Mikasa, you will be in charge of the new special squad. The orders are out that any commander who spot a talented recruit will send him your way. You must train them in the usage of the new flying gear. I don't expect them to reach even sliver of your strength, but try to make them at least competent enough not to fall and kill themselves. "

Mikasa saluted and made her way out of the room. Levi's eyes now locked with Eren's.

"You are a much harder asset to place. "

"Why is that? "

"Firstly, you aren't nearly as good as your girlfriend is. Second, good part of the population still hates you for the stunt you pulled. And least but not last, this war is your doing, at least party, so the recruits might not like being coached by the man who will most likely be the cause of their demise. "

Eren felt his heart drop upon hearing the words. They were true. No war was ever won without significant losses. Levi took another look into his papers.

"You will train some of the newest ones for now, after they get used to you I might consider putting you higher. Report to Jean, he will assign you a group. Dismissed. "

Eren took his own leave, and after some searching, managed to locate Jean near the stables. That reminded him that Jean was actually promoted to cavalry leader during his absence. He had prepared a number of jokes on that account, but the mood was too tense to use them. Until now.

"Hey Jean, checking up on your children? "

He turned, his face growing sour upon seeing Eren.

"Greetings to you too, its already a day since you were home, right? Isn't it time to run away again? "

Eren smiled on the comeback. It was good seeing Jean back to being more comfortable again.

"I hate to interrupt your family time, but Levi said that you have a squad for me. "

"I do, really green, all of them. I think you will fit right in. They are right around the corner, on the old field. "

Eren said his goodbye and walked around the corner to see the squad Jean told him about. They were sitting and standing, looking excited. Time to go introduce myself. He walked to them.

"Hello cadets, my name is Eren Yeager and starting today, I will train you to be soldiers that our queen can be proud of. "


	8. Two sides of the same coin

Theo Magath was no stranger to war planning. He was not one of those noble sons whose career was paid for by their fathers. He clawed his way up from the bottom of the Marley military all the way to the top. And the way was littered with bodies. But this was different. The fools on the council did exactly what they said they will do. Nothing. No one made any move to help him. The official decision was to sit on our asses. But that won't do. Not for him. Willy's murder still weighted heavily on his heart. He would make the devils pay, even when he had to do it on his own.

Working alone meant complications. He had limited troops, limited infrastructure, strongly cut funds. But he had his warriors. The titan shifters will be the spearhead of his assault. The Warhammer titan was still incapacitated. While her wounds healed, the Tybur lady remained in coma. The doctors had no idea how to wake her. They said that she was still on the edge, she could wake, but she could also just fade away. But the rest of the titans were ready to go.

Magath made his way to his personal command room where he made most of the decisions regarding the invasion. He was greeted by a group of his officers and the shifters. Zeke seemed uninterested as usual, smoking a cigarette and looking out of the window. Galliard and Pieck stood close to each other in the corner of the room. Magath was not surprised. Even most of his officers didn't like the shifters. Sure, they are the weapon of Marley, but they are Eldians. Tamed ones, but still Eldians. Reiner was sitting on the chair, looking miserable as usual.

Braun changed. Ever since he emerged from the rubble carrying unconscious Falco following the assassination of Willy and the battle between the usurper and the Warhammer titan, he was not the same. Most of his waking hours he just stared into the distance, as if contemplating something. He hardly talked to anyone. But when Magath gave the order, he responded. He would do his duty and that was the most important thing right now. All right, time to address his group of renegades.

"Thank you all for coming, we have a lot to discuss. "

Magath made his way to the head of the table, sitting down on the prepared chair and looking over the maps spread before him.

"Let's plan this invasion of ours. "

Eren was no stranger to training, but this was exhausting. He never really led a group of total beginners. It was not easy. Molding a group of teenagers into a something resembling a squad was taking most of his waking hours. But he didn't complain, he partly enjoyed it. The real treat came when his shift was done, and he could go home. He got to spend evenings with his wonderful wife and child. Even Rose was starting to warm up to him. Sometimes, miracles do happen. On top of that, later, when Carla went to bed, they usually had some fun with Mikasa alone. He didn't want to sound perverted, but it made the nights his favorite part of the day.

He got to see her during the day too. Since they were both training their respective groups, they met for lunches and on breaks. Usually joined by those members of the former special squad which were free at the time. They all got quite important jobs. Sasha was leading the forest training, focused on survival, hunting, and guerilla warfare. Connie oversaw a group of advanced recruits. Jean, as the cavalry leader, had classes focused on mounted warfare. Mikasa was the one leading the new and reformed special squad, extraordinary recruits who were competent enough to be trusted with the new dimensional gear. That stuff was expensive. Even Levi joined them a few times. His job was now mostly paperwork, since he got promoted and all, but he seemed relaxed in it. Maybe because he didn't have to deal with human contact daily anymore. One day their lunch was interrupted, surprisingly, by Hange. From her Eren found out that she was reassigned by Armin. He underestimated how important his friend is now.

Even before he left, Armin was climbing the ranks steadily, mainly thanks to his amazing intelligence and planning abilities. Now he was as high as one can get. Right hand of the queen and in direct command of all the military branches. He was responsible for creating a new research group, whose main goal was to scavenge what they gathered from the captured enemy ships. They had to do their best to catch up to Marley technologically. Hange was moved from being the leader of the scout corps to be the head of this new branch. She was replaced by Levi. But she definitely did not mind. She enjoyed the new assignment very much, as she told them herself, and loved to see their new designs in action. The new and improved maneuvering gear was the work of the research lab.

Overall, Eren's life became a very pleasing routine. Wake up, get to the headquarters, spend most of the day with his squad, go home and enjoy a nice evening with his family followed by even better night with Mikasa. This lasted for about two weeks, until it was interrupted by the great general himself. Armin has paid a visit.

It happened while he and his group were out in the fields, currently doing laps. Endurance was important for a soldier. And it was definitely more enjoyable to just sit and watch the others run then doing all the running yourself.

"I used to hate doing these. "said the familiar voice. Eren whipped his head back to see his old friend standing behind him with a smile on his face. He immediately stood and hugged him.

"Armin! So good to see you again. How is it going? "

"Good. Well, as good as it can get anyway. I managed to finally push some extra funding through the council and the recruitment is going better then expected. But I didn't come here to talk about that. Eren, I got the permission from Historia. You can go and talk to Annie. "

Now this was surprising. He honestly wasn't sure if he is going to get it. Yes, Annie was dangerous, but she was very valuable. Maybe more then both Armin and Historia realized.

"What about the training with her? We talked about it after my trial. "

"I am trying, but you know our queen. She is quite stubborn about certain things. But I am sure that she will see the way eventually. Right now, a dialogue is the best you are going to get. "

"Can I see her now? "

"That's why I am here, I will escort you. "

Eren quickly dismissed his squad and followed Armin out on the streets.

"So where is she being held? "

"Underground, to prevent her from transforming, guarded by soldiers with thunder spears instructed to blast her in a second if she tries something. "

"What happened to you guarding her? "

"Since I got promoted I hardly have the time to just sit in her cell. And I think that Historia doesn't really trust me around her anymore. She keeps saying that my feelings are clouding my judgement. "

Eren couldn't help but grin upon hearing that.

"And do they? "

"I don't know, Eren, maybe they do, maybe they don't. But I think I can say with clear consciousness that I support your request full heartedly. Letting her rot in cell will not do us any good. Any info she could have told us she did already. I think its time for her to prove herself on the field. And training with you is the best way to do it. "

Finally, they approached a door guarded by pair of tough looking soldiers. Seeing Armin, they saluted and opened the door. They took stairs down, going through a narrow passage until they reached a reinforced door with another pair of guards, this time armed with thunder spears. The general flashed some kind of officially looking paper, and after examining it, they unlocked the door and stepped aside. Eren breathed and followed Armin in the room, where a familiar blonde-haired figure sat in a chair.

"Hello Annie, long time no see. "


	9. Old enemies, new allies

"Eren, you look different. "

What a great way to start a conversation. Eren couldn't really make up an answer. What was he supposed to say? That she looked the same as when she was dragged underground few years ago? Luckily, he was spared by Armin who took the liberty of replying first.

"Annie. Its good to see you again. You look good. "

"As good as I can look while locked in a cell whole day. But I guess you didn't come here to make small talk, right? Why is Eren here? Did something happen? "

Oh, so she doesn't know. It made sense that the prisoners weren't given the latest world news, now that he thought about it. Its high time she gets an update then.

"I have been to Marley, Annie. I talked to Reiner and I killed Willy Tybur thinking he was the Warhammer titan. Then the real shifter showed up and kicked my ass, forcing the squad to come and save me. "

She cocked an eyebrow at him.

"I see. "

Armin chuckled and shook his head.

"Eren might be simplifying the thing a bit, but overall its true. Its part of the reason why we came to you Annie. What do you think the Marley top brass will do now? "

She thought about it for a time. Furrowing her brow.

"I'm not sure. It's a long time since I have been in Marley. And I left when I was a child, I wasn't really interested in politics. "

"Anything could help us. Just tell us your personal opinion. Honestly, we are grasping at straws. We don't know what's happening on the other side of the ocean now. We need something. "

"Well, if you want to know what I think, ", she looked up, straight into Armin's eyes, "I have heard that Willy Tybur was a good friend with the general responsible for the training of the Eldian warriors. Magath was his name. Theo Magath. If you killed Tybur, there is a big chance that he will come for you. But I can't say if the rest of the military will follow him. With Willy dead there is a possibility that they will shatter. After all, they are cowards. "

It was weird hearing Annie talk like this. She didn't put any emotion into her voice. Just cold hard facts. Shouldn't she feel something? She was cooperating with the enemy, wasn't she? The devils? But Eren couldn't see any guile in her eyes. So, either she was telling the truth, or she was very good at lying. That reminded him that she lied to everyone for several years while in the survey corps, and no one found out. Great

"Armin, a word? "

They exited the cell, closing the door behind them.

"Do you trust her? The things she's saying? "

Armin seemed uneasy, fidgeting with his fingers.

"I don't know Eren. I want to trust her. The intel she gave us was good, but very limited. Its understandable. I mean she was a child when she came here, right? She never tried to escape either. ", suddenly he groaned in frustration and ran his hands through his hair. "This is exactly what Historia was talking about. I am letting feelings cloud my judgement. She could be lying. Maybe she is just waiting for the right opportunity to strike. And this training business I'm working so hard to pass is giving her the perfect opportunity to kill you Eren, do you realize that? The moment you two are alone she could jump you, bite you out of the nape and run for it. Maybe we shouldn't do this. Its way too dangerous. She is way too dangerous. I mean… "

Eren put his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Armin, stop. You are overthinking this too much. Yes, she is dangerous. But we need her. I need her. Fighting with her is the only way I can evolve my titan fast enough to beat the Warhammer. So please, help me convince the queen to see it. "

Armin looked into his eyes and shook his head.

"I hope you know what you are doing. ", with that he turned around and started walking towards the exit, his footsteps echoing in the narrow passage. After he disappeared around a corner, Eren made his way back to the cell.

"So, are you finally going to tell me why are you really here? This newsflash was good, but anyone could have told me, it didn't have to be you. Why did you really come here? "

"Maybe I just wanted to see you. "

"Right. Maybe I would believe you if I didn't know that you have made a little devil spawn with Mikasa. Congratulations by the way. You don't have to look so surprised, Armin told me. He talked about you two a lot. It was a safe topic for us. Nothing military related, just the old friends we have in common. "

"You tried to kill me and the rest of the squad, I am not sure that that's something friends do. "

She just waved her hand. "Details. But come on, you got me curious. What do you need from me? "

He took a deep breath.

"Annie, do you have any idea how the attack titan works? "

"No, we never discussed it. Our goal was to reclaim the founding titan. "

"Well I know. It needs an enemy, a powerful one. Then it can evolve, make itself stronger. That's the way it keeps advancing towards freedom. "

"I see now. So, what you need is a titan sparring partner. "

He couldn't help but smile at her quick thinking. She was quite extraordinary.

"More or less. After I got my ass handed to me I realized that I have underestimated the Warhammers abilities. She is insanely strong. And that's not all. Right now, even my brother Zeke, is leagues ahead of me. And I can't lose to them Annie. Not again. "

"Eren, you don't have to convince me, I would help you if I could, but Historia will never let me walk free. And the second I transform the nice gentlemen in front of my door will blast my head off. "

"Yea, let me worry about that. I don't think that you will walk free, but limited transformation is on the table. "

She didn't seem really moved by his words.

"And you would trust me? After all, I did try to kill you and your friends Eren. More then once. "

He didn't flinch when their eyes locked.

"I believe that people deserve another chance. I believe in you Annie. "

He stood and walked to the door.

"Please don't let me down. ", he whispered and left.

Eren was lost in thought on his way back to the headquarters. His talk with Annie went better then expected. She was willing to help him. Armin only had to convince Historia. And that wouldn't be the end of his headaches. He had to somehow ensure that titan Annie wont just run. She was quick as hell. And the thing with her biting him out of the nape was also real threat. When he last fought her years back he had assistance of the corps and he still almost lost. She was an excellent warrior. He had to be careful.

Not paying attention where he walked, he eventually found himself in front of his house instead of the headquarters. All right, might as well call it a day now. He walked to the door, unlocked it and stepped inside, inhaling the familiar scent.

"Carla, look who is here, "rang Rose's voice when she saw him.

"Hello Rose, hey Carla. Was she nice today? "

"Yes, she is a complete angel. Are you just stopping by or is your shift done for today? "

"Yea, its done, you can go home now Rose, thank you. "

The elderly woman said her goodbyes to the baby and him, and left. Carla was sitting on the ground in the living room, playing with differently colored dices. She didn't even acknowledge that he came home. Well, maybe he shouldn't be surprised. What is a father next to a nice green dice? He lay down next to her, watching her pick up the different pieces and try to stack them, only for her small tower to come down crumbling. She didn't get angry though, she was at times almost unnaturally calm. That must have come from Mikasa, Eren definitely wasn't a silent kid.

Watching her now reminded him when he saw her for the first time. During the labor he stood by Mikasa's side holding her hand through the whole thing. When her last contractions came, she squeezed his hand strongly enough to break most of the bones in his palm. He remembered how hard it was to prevent himself from screaming. But he managed. Silent, with tears of pain rolling down his cheeks, he endured it all. All the suffering was nothing compared to the feeling when he got to hold his daughter in his arms. She was so beautiful. In that moment he forgot about the whole stupid war business. No titans were in his mind. Just watching her tiny eyes wander around the room. He was at peace.

Lost in the memory he didn't even notice Carla getting bored with the cubes and deciding that it was finally time to pay a visit to her dad. When he didn't seem to notice her, she decided to rummage through his coat, eventually finding another cube. This one was made of laquerated black wood with a tiny metal bumps at the back. Most interesting. Sadly, her father finally woke and stole the box from her. Traitor.

"I'm sorry baby, but I can't let you play with this one. This is a very special box, want to see why? You must promise me that you won't tell mom. "

His words meant nothing to her, but the excited tone of his voice made her interested enough to look at him. Eren made some kind of magic trick and the box split in half, revealing a shiny metal ring hidden inside. But when she reached for it, to try and eat it of course, he closed the box again. All right, keep your secrets old man. Her cubes were more interesting anyway.

Eren watched his daughter go back to playing as he tucked the engagement ring back to his pocket. That was the last unfinished thing he had to do now. He wanted to ask her a several times now, but somehow, he never did. He knew that the chances of her rejecting him were small, but they existed. Marriage was something that felt permanent. And he was dying soon, wasn't he? He shook his head. They already had a child together, what was marriage compared to that?

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the door open and Mikasa made her way into the room, smiling upon seeing him. She walked to him, tangling her hands in his hair as they kissed.

"What were my two favorite people in the world up to? "

He grinned at her.

"Oh you know, nothing special. "


	10. For the greater good

Proposing to Mikasa proved to be even harder then he thought it would be. How is one supposed to do it? He could hardly just randomly drop on one knee and spurt out the words, which he will most likely fumble up again. They spent all of they time together either at the headquarters or at home. Not entirely the romantic setting he imagined. He considered talking about his little problem with someone. But who? Armin wasn't in contact ever since they visited Annie together. Jean would probably just laugh and used the fact that he can't propose to his girlfriend correctly to make fun of him. Sasha didn't really seem to care about romantic things, if they didn't concern food, so her advice might not be the best one. Connie was the most levelheaded of them all, but he spent most of his time outside on training missions, so he was out of reach at the moment. Going to Levi would be signing his own death warrant. He still remembered how the older man reacted when he told him about Mikasa's pregnancy.

"She is what? "

"Pregnant sir, that means… "

"I know what the fuck it means, "he made a frustrated sound and ran his hands through his hair. "how did it happen? "

"Well sir, if a girl and a boy love each other they sometime… "

Levi jumped over the table and grabbed him by the collar.

"Don't you get smart with me, shithead. Do you realize what you've done? You knocked our best soldier out for what? Nine months? Maybe even more. Do you realize what the child could be? You are a shifter, did u think about what that can mean for the baby? Of course, you didn't. I can't really imagine you making smart decisions while thinking with your dick. "

"My father was also a shifter when I was conceived. And I'm normal. "

Levi snorted at that statement.

"Right, you are completely fine Eren. "

"Sir, excuse me but you are overreacting a bit. Mikasa is not the type to let her pregnancy get in a way of her duties. I think that we will be the ones dragging her out of the field when her state will be too hard to move in. "

He was right of course. Mikasa kept training as long as she could, and even when her belly grew enough for her to admit that swinging around on gear might not be the best thing to do now, she still oversaw the trainings from ground. Her trainees very quickly found out that her pregnancy did not make her soft in the slightest.

"Just get out of my office Yeager. Before I have to murder you. "

"Right away sir. "

Yea, going to Levi might not be the best idea. So, he waited for the perfect opportunity to present itself. After all, there was no rush. Only a little war and his few remaining years to live. No big deal. Later, while training with his squad, Armin came to visit. What a coincidence. But before he got the chance to ask him about Mikasa, general told him some other great news.

"Your proposal got approved, Eren. In full. "

"So that means I can train with Annie? "

"Yes, Historia finally budged. She will allow her to leave the dungeon and shift, under trained guard of course. Also, while she is with you, you are the one responsible for her. So please don't let your guard down. We both know what she can do. "

Eren felt immediate relief upon hearing that. Training with Annie was very valuable to him. But that meant his time would get cut again.

"Armin, what about my squad? I will need someone to train them while I am gone. We don't know how much time we have; every lesson is valuable. "

But the blonde didn't seem very concerned by that.

"Its fine Eren, you have already done a good job. They know the basics. That's all we wanted from you "

Now it was his turn to be surprised. The young ones weren't soldiers. Sure, he gave them the starting military knowledge but that was not nearly enough.

"Armin, they don't know nearly enough. Their weapon prowess is bad, their swordplay is nonexistent, their... "

"Eren, come on, they don't need to know that. Don't you realize? These child solders, these young recruits. We don't have the time or the resources to make them into full fledged army. The more experienced ones are already being molded into one. The ones you train, they are fodder. I'm sorry to say it, but nearly all of them will die in the first stages of the battle. We need something to throw at our enemy to find out about their tactics. Someone to charge into formed enemy lines to disrupt them. "

Eren felt bile rising in his throat. That's what his squad was? A bait? Worst thing was, Armin didn't seem to be affected by the things he was saying. Just another day in the office for him. Telling him that the kids who were drawn to the military by the glorious propaganda, by the promise of being heroes are going to get slaughtered like pigs. General didn't seem to notice his discomfort. He clasped him on the shoulder and bent his head a bit closer.

"You focus on Annie know, that's what is most important. We have a lot of soldiers, but just two shifters. Maybe three. Regarding the kids, just keep doing what you are doing. Don't make them lose hope. See you later. "

With that, he took his leave. Eren was supposed to go train his squad now. But how was he ever supposed to show his face to them again? After the things Armin told him, he feared that he might throw up upon seeing them. They were all going to die, and he was supposed to smile at them and nod on their progress when it was meaningless. Not thinking, he walked. Anywhere but there. Somehow, he ended up at the stables where he collapsed onto a pile of hay, hiding his face in his hands. He didn't even realize he started crying until he felt tears flowing down his cheeks.

"Do you have to cry here? You are startling my kids. "

Eren's head shot up to see Jeans obviously drunk face looking at him over the wall of one of the horse stands. He wanted to shoot something back, but his mind wasn't in the state to crack jokes at the moment.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were here. I just came here to… I don't know why. "

He let his head fall back into his hands.

"Jean, how do you do it. How can you look into their faces and tell them that they will be heroes, that they will do something important when everything that awaits them is death?

Jean made his way out of the stand and sat down next to him. He pulled out a bottle out of his pocket and offered it to Eren, who after some thought accepted and took a swig. He grimaced. Whatever Jean was drinking, it was strong. He handed the bottle back to his friend who drank himself before putting it back into his jacket.

"Eren, there is no answer. Why do you think I drink so much lately? It makes me forget. When I first heard Armin talk about the acceptable losses, I almost fainted. And we can't do anything about it. Because, the cold hard truth is, he is right. We need those sacrifices if we are to succeed. And logically, making the expendables die instead of fully trained soldiers is better. Doesn't make it easier though. I still can't sleep, unless I'm absolutely wasted. I keep seeing all the faces of the kids I train. Dead. Bloodied. Sacrificed for the greater good. It's disgusting, but what do you want to do? Disobey direct order? What would be the point? There are hundreds of other guys willing to dirty their hands. "

Jean looked at him, pain in his eyes.

"We have to win this war Eren, otherwise we are all dead. If they must die to keep everyone alive isn't that worth it? If you could trade lives of a few unnamed guys for Mikasa and Carla, wouldn't you make that trade? "

"Can I take another drink? "

Jean snorted and handed him the bottle. While drinking, Eren was struggling with the truth that was clearly written in his head. He would. Jean took the bottle back and stood, leaving him with more questions then answers.

Later, when he met up with his group, cracking a joke about bad case of ingestion problem when they asked why is he so late, he realized that he can pretend. He can smile on them, laugh with them, praise their progress and help them to fix their failures. He didn't hate himself for it. He couldn't. Some things are just worth dying for. Even if the life sacrificed Is not your own.


	11. Moving forward

Eren sat cross-legged on a clearing in the woods, eyes closed, in his titan form. For someone who might have just happened to be passing, the scene might look funny. Fifteen meters tall giant trying to find inner peace. But sitting like this, he could feel his body the best. The titan was a complex that took him years to get into. He never thought it would be this complicated. Just grow a massive body and punch your enemies in the face. But it wasn't that easy. The armor bottle he ate while back added to it. Hardening was a whole new ocean of possibilities. Before wandering over the ocean, he thought he was quite good at it. Warhammer woke him up. With a hammer to the face.

Eren grimaced inside the titan. The fight brought up a lot of new problems to face. His hardening was weak. He had to make it stronger. Strong enough to withstand the blows. He had to grow stronger and faster. In short, he had to advance. And that's when Annie came in.

His training with her went better then expected. She was escorted by a group of soldiers armed with the new maneuvering gear and thunder spears. Once they took their positions, she was allowed to shift. Eren expected her to be rusty, considering she spent her last years locked in a dungeon after being frozen in a crystal. But she wasn't. Their first duel was a quick one ending with Eren's titans face being pressed into the forest floor. The next one was better, the one after even better. Fourth one was won by Eren. The fifth one was savage beating that ended up with Eren losing both his hands but managing to sink his teeth into Annie's nape, claiming a victory. After that they exited their titans and sat down to talk. They talked about the fight and she pointed out a number of his mistakes. Her advice was good. Very good in fact. Later, when Annie was taken away, Eren shifted back and sat, closing his eyes and focusing on his body. Training hardening was even more difficult then training the titan fighting. No one could really help him with that.

He focused, hardening his fist. Then he tried making the hardening harder. His titan brow furrowed as he pumped the energy into that small piece of his body. And it cracked. The hardening exploded on his hand, taking a huge chunk of flesh with it. He groaned in frustration, smashing his fist into the ground. He could do it. It was there, on the edge of his possibilities. He just had to push himself. So he did. It took him another week and five more training sessions with Annie, but he managed to harden a small patch of his armor to a new degree. But he was hardly done with it. The parts of his armor he upgraded were small, and the process took too long to be used in a duel. He had to keep working. On the bright side, his regeneration seemed to be improving on a higher rate. During his fight with Annie his arm grew back fast enough to surprise her and win the duel for him.

As he replayed the memories in his head, he was surprised by something landing on his shoulder. When he opened his eyes, he saw Mikasa standing there in full gear.

"Hey there big guy. My squad just called it a night, so I came to look how you are doing. "

Eren wanted to answer, but that was one of things his titan was not capable of. He settled on a groan. He knew Mikasa was cautious about this whole training with Annie thing. The night before the first session he talked with her and convinced her. Partly with words, partly by going down on her long enough that she herself told him to stop because she can't handle another orgasm. Yea he knew how to put his vast experience with her body to use.

"Come on, get out so we can go home. You don't want to give Rose a heart attack by marching into the living room as a titan, do you? "

Eren chuckled at the mental picture before pushing himself out of the nape. The body of the titan started dissolving quickly and they soon found themselves on the forest surface. Now seeing Mikasa with his human eyes, he realized something. They were alone. In a forest, next to his giant dissolving corpse. Romantic isn't it.

"Uhm, Mikasa, can we talk?

Her eyes immediately narrowed upon hearing that.

"What is it Eren? Is it about Annie? Did she try something? I told you that this was a bad idea, we shouldn't have trusted her. "

"No, no its not about that. Annie is fine. She is doing her best to help me, I swear. But I don't want to talk about her, there is something else. "

"So, what do you want to talk about? "

He stepped closer, taking her hands in his. This was actually happening. He gulped. Now what to say. What was he supposed to say? The thoughts were racing in his head. Ok, lets begin with something safe. Tell her you lover her. Maybe comment that she looks good in the new uniform? She really did now that he thought about it. All the black was bringing out her perfect figure. Maybe they could do something better before the talk. It wouldn't be the first time they had sex in the forest. No. Now is not the time to think how good she looks. If he keeps postponing it, he will never get to do it. And he wanted to do it. He really did. Ok, here goes nothing.

"So Mikasa… Have you ever like, u know thought about the future? Like our future? You know I love you very much right. "

She seemed amused but also quite confused.

"Eren, where are you going with this? "

"I just want to say something. I just… "

He couldn't do it. He was always bad with words. And those might be the most important words of his life. He had to think about it. Maybe write it down? Maybe… But then he looked at her face. He saw how beautiful she was. He saw her scar, the one he gave her all those years ago. He saw her short hair, which framed her face. Her lips slightly opened as she breathed. The gentle curve of her nose. And her eyes. The eyes that looked on him with such love and understanding. And suddenly he knew what to say.

"Mikasa, when I say I love you, I don't think that's good enough to express what I'm feeling for you. Ever since I met you, you brightened my life. You were there for me when my parents got killed. You held me through the night that terrified me back then. You were my shield and my sword where everyone else turned on me. You did your best to keep me alive even when the only thing that I repaid you with were unkind words. And I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry for being that stupid for so long. But there are things I am not sorry for. I am not sorry about finally manning up and telling you how I felt. I am not sorry for starting a family with you, because you are the only one I can imagine having it with. What I'm trying to say is that I admire you. For your strength, both physical and mental, for your devotion, for your love, even though I do not deserve it. ", he dropped to one knee, pulling the box out of his pocket.

"Mikasa Ackerman, as I said I don't deserve you, but if I am lucky enough that by some miracle you do love me, I would like to keep you forever. So please, would you do me the incredible honor of marrying me? "

Her eyes were filled with tears as she pressed her hands to her mouth, overwhelmed. He didn't know how long he knelt before her, but when she finally spoke it was the sweetest word he ever heard.

"Yes. "


	12. Two generals

The sound of Armin's footsteps echoed through the castle corridor as he made his way back towards the War room. He thought that the name was maybe a little bit too dramatic, but Historia insisted.

"The people working with us needs to know what are they signing up for. They need to realize the gravity of our situation. This is do or die, Armin. There are no safety nets. "

She was right, of course. If they wanted to survive, they had to win. But how? The outlook was bad. Very bad in fact. Marley was a giant compared to the little island of Eldians. The numbers were in their favor. And now with the info he got from the save Eren mission he knew that their titans were superior too. He shook his head. Another day another headache. He rounded a corner. Eren said that he would be able to handle the titans. But he said a lot of things. What if he was wrong? What was he supposed to come up with against five war giants coming at them all at once?

They had the powers of the founding titan, that was true, but Eren couldn't use it to full extent. The shifters will not listen to his orders. The Attack titan himself was strong, and he was an experienced user of it, but so was the enemy. Zeke Yeager was master of his beast, as the survey corps tasted during the shiganshina battle. Galliard and his Jaw were nightmare to plan infrastructure against. His speed made him able to hit supply wagons and take off before anyone managed to retaliate. Same could be told with reinforcements. No place was save from him. Pieck with Cart titan had transportation and scouting uses he could only dream about. Reiner was the one they knew most about. And he was beatable. Eren did it. Problem was that the enemy knew that Reiner can't handle Eren in one on one situations. All they had to do was throw in some support and their problem was solved. For their last and the biggest issue, there was the Warhammer titan. This monster of a shifter with their ability to create giant hardened structures out of thin air was something he didn't even imagine. Yet there it was, standing on the other side of the conflict. Great.

Sure, he could always go fight in his titan form. But the colossal had setbacks as big ones as his strengths were. He was huge. He was strong. He was also incredibly slow his stamina ran out fast. All they had to do was kite him and he would never catch up. As weird as it sounds, the colossal titan's strength was ambush. If he could get the drop on anyone, he would be able to crush them before they run. But there was no guarantee he would be able to get the surprise, they couldn't plan around it. So, there was only one last wild card he could use. Annie.

Annie was something he didn't like thinking about. Mainly because around her he couldn't get his thoughts straight. His time with her got limited due to the queen's interference and he was partly sad and partly glad for it. He missed her sure, but now was not the time for things like this. He couldn't put his personal preferences in front of the whole nation. He had a war to win.

The room was empty when he finally arrived. He wasn't surprised, it was night anyway. The sky outside was about as dark as his mind at the moment. And the tons of charts, graphs and maps on the table and the walls didn't do anything to lighten his mood. Yet there was nowhere he would rather be now. This was where he could make the biggest difference. And its not like he could sleep anyway. He had trouble with it for some time already. He blamed stress. He blamed Eren for the stupid stunt he pulled. He blamed Mikasa for having a kid in the middle of all this mess. Kid he loved very much. Carla adored uncle Armin. Mainly because she got to pull his hair. He blamed Annie for making him feel so uncertain of himself around her. And he was supposed to save them all with some godsend plan that will help them win over a bigger and better equipped army with more shifters on their side. So how exactly he could not be stressed?

He looked over the maps. They were one of the first things he commissioned when they cleared the island. Knowing the terrain is half the battle. So, he had survey corps cover the surface as fast as possible and draw it for him. The coast was his first line of defense. But there was no way he could cover it all, it was just too long. There were some forces stationed there ready to warn the rest of the troops, but those were just sentries at best. The real battle would be inland. It still felt weird sometimes. Here he was, planning a war while inside he still felt like the boy whose biggest dream was to see the ocean. If he knew what kind of hell it will bring, maybe he would have a different kind of wish. Perhaps he was not the one to complain. If he didn't get the titan powers few years back, he would be dead.

Death. Now there was something he had a lot on his plate lately. Numbers on the charts. Colors on the graphs. Those were human lives. Human lives that are going to be lost. And there was no way around it. In public he had to put on a brave face, he had to pretend he doesn't see them as soldiers, just a resource. Because otherwise he couldn't do what he was doing. And he was the best tactician they had. He couldn't be replaced. If he was the one to make the call, then so be it. Sure, it made him want to throw up. Sure, he cried a few times when he was alone. He was a wreck and he knew it. But there was no backing down from this. Not now, not ever. It was part of reason he liked talking to Annie. She made him forget those things. With her he could just sit down and pretend that there isn't a catastrophe looming over their heads. It was nice, but it was temporary.

He picked up some papers regarding the training progress. As expected, Mikasa was doing the best. Her squad was shaping up to be exactly the elite force he needed. The new gear was hard to master, but a skilled user was deadly. Jean was doing better then expected. He heard about his friends drinking problems from some reports, but frankly, he didn't care. As long as he got his job done, he could do it wasted. Did it sound cold? They all needed something to get their minds of their work. Some talked to traitors locked up in prison and wrestled with their growing feelings for them. Some drank. It was all natural. Connie and Sasha were both doing good, but he expected as much. Those two were reliable and that was a blessing. He needed someone like them. Eren was… Well Eren was idealist. His recent talk to him was expected. He knew that his friend would form some sort of attachment to the kids. So, he told him the truth. He told him that there was no chance that they will survive. It hurt him, talking like that, but it had to be done. Maybe he was harder then he had to, but Eren needed to wake up. None of them will emerge out of this with their hands clean.

He bloodied his during the Marley mission anyway. He read the reports. Bursting through a house full of civilians to get to Willy. It was bold. And it was needed. As much as others disliked the act, Armin supported it. They had to poke the bear to wake him up. Now they must kill it. He sighed and got to work. Maybe if he finishes the assignments soon enough he can go and talk to Annie. Her training with Eren must be interesting.

Theo Magath was not happy. Sure, he knew that acting alone as an aggressor will brand him as a renegade, but open desertion was something he was not used to.

"How many? "

"About five hundred troops sir, they left to join other regiments. And the number is increasing daily. "

He looked at the reporting officer in desperation.

"How about tightening the security? "

"Well sir, we can increase the number of guards all we want, but if its those guards who change sides, what are we supposed to do then? "

Good point. This whole thing was stupid. His troops were deserting, plain and simple. It was a war crime. Normally, no one would accept them. But the state was fractured, cracked. Each of those power-hungry assholes was only interested in increasing his own ranks. So, they quietly accepted the traitors, claiming they don't know anything about any deserting troops. What a load of bullshit.

"Do a background check, and assign those with longest service records as guards. If we catch anyone trying to jump ship, execute them. I have no mercy for them. "

The officer saluted and left Magath alone with his thoughts. And Zeke looking out of the window.

"What do you think Yeager? "

"I'm not sure I am qualified to give my opinion sir. "

"Cut the bullshit. "

Zeke smiled from behind the lit cigarette.

"This will only get worse general. The longer we stay here, the more pressure our troops will face. The others will not sit quietly while you are trying t o amass an army for invasion they didn't approve. They will do their best to strip your troops bare. With all due respect sir, we must move. "

Magath liked Yeager. He was smart, maybe too smart for his own good. If he wasn't an Eldian, he would make it far in the military. And his titan was a monster. Yet there was something about him lately that just didn't quite sit. He came late to help with the survey corps, claiming he was indisposed. There was no evidence of him knowing about it and he couldn't just lock up one of his brightest mind. So, he let the fact just pass by and kept a closer eye on Zeke.

Apart from that, he was right. But preparing an invasion army was a lot of work. That was even without most of the companies throwing sticks under his legs. Sometimes he wished he could just shoot those corporate rats and take what he needed. But it didn't matter. In the end, he will be the one that put an end to the devils. He will avenge Willy Tybur. And they will all look up to him. Having this perfect vision in his head, Theo Magath picked up some papers and got to work.

He will show them.

He will show them all.


	13. Perfect morning

Armin pushed himself off the table with a groan. His head was pounding, and his eyes felt like they are on fire. He squinted on the window to see that the sun was rising already. So, he spent whole night in the war room. Again. He was quite satisfied with the progress though. He wrote some new ideas for the supply routes, designed a new and improved way of flare communication and issued a new set of orders. Sure, he could use some of his subordinates for this kind of work, but he enjoyed having a direct control over things. It made planning so much easier. He stood and made his way to the bathroom to freshen up a bit. When he washed his face, and pulled his hair back into a ponytail, he was faced with another question. What now? Sure, he could go home and try to catch up on some sleep. Or he could wait for the others to come to run his new discoveries past them and see how they react. Or… Or he could go visit Annie.

It was still dawn, but he knew that she is an early bird. He hasn't seen her for a week, they had a lot to talk about. Her training with Eren was going on for some time, he could ask about that. Or if the guards are treating her all right. He had to keep an eye on her, right? Yes, it was his duty as a commanding officer to see if his wardens do not abuse prisoners. That was the sole reason why he is going to visit her. The one and only. No other. With the destination clear in mind, he started walking.

Armin reached the entrance in a few minutes. The guards immediately saluted and one of them unlocked the door and stepped aside.

"How is she behaving outside boys? Everything fine? "

"Yes sir. We had no problems. She obeys every order and she haven't tried anything. Those titan fights are scary though. Two giants pummeling each other while pieces of their flesh fly away just to regenerate. Its hard to see when we should try to step in. "

"You keep eye on her when she is human, transformed she is Eren's problem. I don't want any of you getting hurt because you try to get between them. And that's an order. "

"Yes sir. "

Armin nodded and made his way inside. Annie was awake as he expected. Sitting on the only chair in the cell by the small table, writing something. She looked up when he walked in, pushing her blonde her out of her face.

"Hey Armin, how is the war going? "

"The war hasn't even started yet. But the preparations are good, thanks for asking. How about you, the guards treating you all right? "

"You think I would let them treat me bad? "

Armin chuckled upon hearing that, taking a seat on the narrow bed. Sometimes he forgot how straightforward she was.

"I suppose you wouldn't. What are you writing, your memoirs? "

She looked on the paper on the table.

"That would be a short book. I was born, I got recruited into the warriors, I received the female titan, came here, did what I was sent to do, fought and lost and locked myself in the crystal just to get busted by the same man who I am training to fight at the moment. "

"So, what is it? Or is it secret? "

"I am just putting down some notes for todays training with Eren. "

"And how is that going? You kicking his ass? "

"Surprisingly no. He is pretty good, but his fighting style can still be helped. For example, "she looked at her notes, "he keeps his hands way too low to protect his torso. And he doesn't need to do that. With the rate he is regenerating at now he can take as many torso hits as he wants to, all he must do is defend the nape and head, that's where the real danger is. "

"How about you, do you enjoy the training with him? "

She sighed as she made her way towards the bed and sat next to Armin.

"Well it's not freedom, but at least I can stretch my legs and see the outside. The transformation is a nice bonus I missed being titan. All the power it gives you, its kind of addicting. You just feel like you can take on the world. "

She raised a fist and looked at it, turning it against the light. Her skin was so pretty in the sun. Armin instinctively reached out and put his own palm over hers. Annie's eyes widened on the contact, but she didn't pull back. Armin slowly turned his head to look at her, before speaking.

"Sometimes you have to take on the world to keep those who love safe. Wouldn't you say? "

Her face inched closer and he moved to mirror her.

"I agree. "

When they kissed, it was everything Armin imagined and more. Her lips were soft beneath his, her mouth moving against his. The light contact didn't satisfy her for long and soon he felt her teeth tugging at his lower lip. His hands slowly slid from her hand to her back, running over her firm curves. Her own moved as well, moving up to his shoulders to grip him and pull him closer. He felt excitement rising in his chest, heat pooling at his stomach and… No, he can't do this. He broke away in a hurry standing up. Annie was still sitting on the bed, her breathing ragged and her face red. There was something in her eyes, something he could not quite place.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have. "

She didn't say anything. And he was out of words. His famous mind was in shambles. He couldn't think. So, he did the only thing he could. He ran. Out of the door, past the confused soldiers and up the steps back to his office.

When he arrived, he threw himself into the chair, folding his head in his hands. What was he thinking? He can't do this. Not now. How would the queen react if she found out about this? She already said that his opinion of her is clouded. Now he kissed her, and he didn't feel bad about it at all. He wanted to kiss Annie again. He wanted to go farther with her. But it was impossible. How can the leader of the armed forces fraternize with the captured enemy agent? There was no time to lose his time about this. He will just take a long break from talking with her. And next time he is required to see her he will just pretend to forget about the whole thing. Yes, that is the best thing to do. To distract himself he picked some random papers and immersed himself in work again. But the feeling of her lips on his still lingered in the back of his mind.

Meanwhile at Eren's house, the young couple still haven't left the bed. Eren was smiling contently while smoothing Mikasa's hair out of her sleeping face. This feeling of warmth and completion he felt when she was lying on his bare chest, both naked was something he treasured beyond anything. The only new addition he wasn't used to yet was the metal circle on her finger. As he told her last night, he actually purchased the ring back in Marley during his undercover infiltration. When he thought about it, he wanted it to be something practical that his now fiancé wouldn't have to take off even during training or possibly a battle. So, he went with a simple circlet with no stone on top. And she loved it. He could see it the moment he put it on her finger. Mikasa wasn't the type of woman who would require huge diamond to cement their relationship. She knew and understood the choice of ring he made, and judging from the tears that were flowing down her face, she loved it.

In that moment he felt her beginning to stir. Soon her eyes fluttered open to his and he felt his face stretching into a smile. As he continued stroking her face, she nuzzled into his palm affectionately which made the warm feeling inside him radiate even more.

"Hey Mikasa, sleep well? "

"I did, thank you. The night was rather exhausting. ", she said as she sat up and stretched.

He felt a bit of pride upon hearing that statement. Her stamina reserves ran deep, so exhausting her was quite a feat. He moved to massage her shoulders and she groaned on the contact. Giving each other massages was kind of their thing. With the line of work they were in, their muscles got sore quite often. So, helping each other find some relief from their aching bodies was activity they mastered pretty quickly. He definitely enjoyed touching her warm, pale skin. But the sun was rising and soon they would have to make the daily walk to headquarters to continue with their war preparations. And he had training with Annie today.

"As much as I like just laying with you, we should get out of the bed. "

She looked at him for a second before locking her arms around his waist and pushing him back to lying position with her on top of him, shaking her head.

"I don't want to. "

"Well, then I think I will have to convince you somehow. "

Her eyes sparkled upon hearing that, clearly more than happy to play along.

"Maybe you will. "

When Eren kissed her, he wondered if this morning could be any more perfect.


	14. Regrets

In the next few days Armin felt like a lifeless body. He was so tired. At night he could not sleep. During days he never rested. He couldn't stop thinking about her. So, he did the only thing he knew will silence his thoughts. He immersed himself in his work. Hardly ever leaving the war room, he spent all his hours bent over the plans and charts and graphs. The others came and went, but he remained. His mind became shrouded in a fog of numbers and plans. He didn't know how long it was since the last time he slept, when he suddenly felt a hand grab his shoulder. He turned his head to the left to be confronted by the icy blue stare of Historia.

"You look like shit. "

The sudden vulgarism woke him up a bit. He knew that the queen wasn't delicate flower, but she usually kept appearances in front of people. His confusion was quickly lifted when he looked around to see that they were alone in the room.

"Its good to see you too. What brings you here? "

"Reports that my general hasn't left this room for three days straight. Armin, we both know how important your work is, but you can't burn yourself out. If you don't take some time off by yourself, I will have my guards drag you outside. "

Armin stood, and the room spun. He fell back on the chair, his legs wobbling. All right, maybe he was due to take a walk. Historia offered him a hand and when he accepted she pulled him to his feet with surprising strength.

"Go to sleep, or go talk to some friends, but I do not want to see you back in this room for at least a day. Clear your mind. That is an order. "

He nodded before saluting and making his way out of the war room. Going to sleep was out of the question. In the few minutes he blacked out he always returned to that dungeon room with Annie in front of him. It was torture. Time to see how the others are doing. He walked to the headquarters, enjoying the way the movement made his blood flow. The sun was up, so that meant that his friends will probably be out, training. That should be back for lunch though, he can wait. He made his way to the mess hall, the soldiers standing guard saluting. The room was empty save for a few soldiers with free time. But that would change as soon as the meal time would start.

He didn't know how long he waited, but he fell asleep. He was back underground. Annie was sitting right next to him, looking as beautiful as always. He reached out and touched her face. She leaned into the touch, sighing contently. Armin moved his face closer to hers, fully intent on kissing her again. But before he got to his destination, he was woken by Eren shaking his shoulder.

"Hey buddy, didn't expect you here. "

Armin rubbed his eyes, half angry and half grateful for the interruption.

"Yea I didn't expect myself to be here either, but Historia ordered me to take some time off. So here I am. "

"You don't have to lie to us, we know you missed the food here. ", said Sasha as she took her seat across the table, Connie sliding in next to her.

Armin couldn't help but smile. It felt good to be together with them again. He knew that his work as general was important, but it was nice to kick back and relax, even for just a few minutes and listen to his former comrades talk.

Mikasa was the last one to join them at the table. Eren stood up to kiss her, while Sasha made choking sounds from the other side. Seems like his boneheaded friend finally started showing affection even in public. He was happy for them, but that simple kiss reminded him of his own girl trouble. Exactly the thing he wanted to avoid thinking about. Before his mind could fully jump on the downward spiral of self-pity, he was roused by Eren's voice.

"Armin, you see something different on Mikasa? "

He looked up to her, running his eyes over her familiar figure. The same black uniform as always, the same red scarf she was always wearing. No, he didn't notice anything. Until he looked down to see her hands on the table. The ring was a surprise, but a welcome one. It was just a simple metal circle, but Armin knew that Mikasa would love anything if it came from Eren.

"That's a nice ring Mikasa, who gave it to you? "

Eren frowned upon hearing that but Armin laughed before his friend could react.

"I'm just joking. Seems like you finally got your shit together Eren, took you long enough. "

His buddy took his new fiancé's hand in his own, running his thumb over the ring.

"I know, but the world is just crazy lately. I figured that if I don't ask now, I might never get the chance. And I was lucky enough that she said yes. "

The love and affection in both of their eyes was supposed to make Armin feel good, but the memory of Annie was haunting his mind. He must talk about something, that will keep her quiet.

"When do you plan on having the wedding? "

Eren looked back at him with puzzled expression.

"We didn't really talk about it yet, it's a lot of preparations and now might not be the best time. We were thinking that it can wait after the war. "

It was really a matter of perspective. People could use a wedding now, to distract themselves from what was coming. On the other hand, the scandal with Eren's trial and the whole traitor thing was still fresh in their minds. Maybe it would be better to wait. If they survive, there will be no one to remember such triviality after the horrors the battles will bring. After all, it was their decision. Not like it would change anything. They already lived together, had a family together. The marriage will be just a formality. But that didn't mean they can't enjoy it. Talking about formalities, he suddenly realized something.

"Eren, do you know that you have to get a permit to marry another soldier? "

"Permit? And from who? "

Armin grinned.

"You are not going to like the answer. "

"Please don't tell me its Levi. "

"You guessed it. "

Eren's mood very quickly darkened.

"There is no way that the commander will give me that. You know how he feels about us. He would be happiest if we just broke up. Can't you just write me the permit Armin? You are the highest military commander, right? "

"Technically I can, but I think that the talk with Levi will be beneficial for you both. He has to accept that you two are a thing now, has been for a while, whatever he likes it or not. I mean you have a kid together, and he acts like you just know each other from the army. "

Eren didn't look very happy about it.

"Listen, go talk to him, and if he won't give you the permit, I will do it. Just promise that you will ask him in a civilized fashion. "

Eren looked up, his eyes bright again.

"Thanks buddy, I promise. "

As the lunch was nearing its end, Armin realized that there is a thing he could talk with Eren about. After all, he was seeing Annie almost daily. He can tell him if she looks ok after that stunt he pulled.

"Listen, Eren. Can we talk later? "

"Is tomorrow okay? I have training with Annie now, and tomorrow morning I got to go talk to Levi, since you insisted. How about after lunch? "

"All right, ill be here. "

As the group stood up and scattered back to their respective squads, Armin felt better then he did for the past three days. Maybe he can go home and catch up on some sleep now. When he got to his house and laid down, darkness claiming him, he felt excited about tomorrow. It will finally be a good day.


	15. The past, the present, the future

Life of Mikasa Ackerman was not easy. Her parents were murdered when she was nine, with the culprits about to kidnap her when she was saved by a green-eyed boy she barely knew. With nowhere else to go, they boy's family took care of her. But with all their love and attention she still couldn't chase the darkness away. Her nightmares were terrible, until one night the boy offered to share her bed. With him by her side she could sleep. But this didn't last long. The wall was breached. Father was gone, and mother was eaten by a titan while the kids were saved by Hannes. Back then she hardened her heart, when she held Eren's hand, his sleep now being the one plagued by nightmares. Perhaps happiness wasn't meant for her. Maybe everything she touches spoils and goes bad. She swore that she will protect the only thing left that was close to family.

She did her best. When he chose to enter the military, she followed. And while his training was problematic, she passed her own in a breeze. It made her happy to be this strong, maybe she could protect him. Maybe he wont die like the rest. Yes, her strength made Eren angry at her, but his life was more important then his relationship with her. Later, when he joined scouts, she followed once more.

Soon after, it happened. He died. She still remembered the ice that gripped her heart upon hearing those words. The last bit of happiness in the world was ripped from her. She wanted to die. Yet she was saved by the abnormal titan, who later turned out to be Eren. The next events were a haze. The first trial. Eren being called a monster. The new Levi squad. The betrayal of Annie. It all happened so fast. And to top it off, Reiner and Berthold kidnapped him in the end.

She remembered the rage she felt towards them. Traitors. She chased them down with rest of the corps and got Eren back. Hannes died for them. But they escaped. And they couldn't focus on the traitorous shifters. The uprising happened. Eren got kidnapped again. They rescued him, but he was different. More silent then he used to be. Deeper. Historia got the throne. And the reclaiming of shiganshina was approved. The battle for the district was brutal. Mikasa newer saw so many people dying at once. Commander Erwin was murdered by Eren's half-brother, the beast titan Zeke. In the end, it was a bittersweet victory. They reclaimed the district and gained the colossal titan to save Armin. But the losses were enormous.

The following weeks were quiet. They opened the basement and found out Grisha's secret. They reached the ocean. Together, they slowly processed the reality of curse of Ymir. The cleaning of the remaining titans was easy for her. With Hange's invention and her skill with blades, normal titans didn't pose a threat. And here was the next question. What now? She never gave future much thought. Her goals were simple. She wanted to survive. Perhaps one day in the future she could lay down her blades. But she thought that was impossible. There would always be another war.

Her feelings for Eren changed in her life. At the start she just wanted to see him safe. To protect the last of her family. But as they matured, so did her affection for him. When she sometimes laid at the girls sleeping room and listened to others talk in hushed voices about their adventures with boys, she always thought about him. Maybe she loved him, even though she wasn't completely sure what the word meant. When they were about to be eaten by the smiling titan, she tried to tell him. But he turned his back, promising they will always be together. It left her confused. She had no idea how he felt about her. But did it really matter? They had a mission. So, she said nothing and waited. But she didn't really expect anything to happen. The world was cruel. She wasn't supposed to love in her life. Her hands were only good for killing.

When he appeared in front of her door one day, with flowers in his hand and red-faced. She was confused. But excited beyond words. And then he started fumbling out the words she never expected to hear from him. Love, affection, care. Everything she wanted, he offered to her. When he finally finished speaking, they were just standing there. Eren looked terribly embarrassed. Mikasa didn't know what to say. So, she didn't say anything. She acted. The first kiss was everything she ever imagined it to be and more. She didn't want to stop, she wanted more. And he certainly didn't complain as she stripped him. Their first love making was sloppy and uncertain. After all, it was the first time for both. She remembered being surprised when he was the first one to pull back, whispering "We don't have to do this. ".

But she was certain. She wanted him. Everything he could give her.

"I want this, Eren, I'm sure. Do you? "

He didn't hesitate for a second.

"I want you too Mikasa, more than anything. "

She was afraid that he is not going to fit at first. He just seemed so big. But for once in his life, Eren Yeager didn't rush. He took it slow. He touched her in a way she never imagined. Her body reacting to him was an experience he found downright adorable. All those quiet moans and whimpers coming from the legendary soldier. He touched her breast, ran his hand down her muscular abdomen until he reached that place between her legs. When she nodded, answering the unspoken question, he slid in a finger. Then two. When he started moving them, she lost control over her voice, crying out. They both froze at that, realizing there are comrades sleeping just a room away. But no one came. He couldn't help but smile.

"We have to keep quiet. "

She nodded, her face bright red.

"I'm sorry. It's just so… alien "

"You want me to continue? "

She shook her head at that, saying "I'm ready Eren. "

He knew what she meant.

When he finally entered her, he had to fight down his own voice. She was so warm and tight and so incredibly wet. He almost lost it right there. Even with all his will bent towards lasting as long as possible, he didn't make it long. She didn't mind. She kissed away his apologies, assuring him that he can do better next time. When she fell asleep that night with her head on his chest, her sleep was the best she remembered. No nightmares came to haunt her.

Time started moving fast again after that. They tried to hide their new relationship from others, but Mikasa was pretty sure they weren't half as sneaky as Eren imagined them to be. It would explain Armin's amused looks and Levi's disgusted ones. And then the baby happened. She was clueless when it came to pregnancy and sex related things. She drank some tea, that according to other women she heard was supposed to prevent it, but with the amount of time they spend in bed together, she was not really surprised when it didn't work. When Mikasa told Eren the news, she expected him to be angry. Or scared. Instead, he seemed overjoyed. Yes, life was hardly easy for them. But it wouldn't get better. He was weighed by the curse of Ymir.

The pregnancy was a new adventure. Her machine-like body was betraying her. Her emotions were in shambles. And it only got worse. She wanted to keep training. But one day she simply wasn't able to put on her uniform pants. Her belly was too fat. She cried until Eren woke and took her back to bed, pressing soothing kisses to her temple and whispering that everything will be all right. She was forced to watch the training from ground since then. The delivery was another new pain in her life. But this pain was beautiful. She would endure any amount of it for their child. And when she held the new life in her hands, exhausted but so proud, she felt pure happiness in her heart.

Raising their daughter was difficult, but she didn't mind. She loved every second of it. They were doing it together. And then he left. Eren told her of his plan. She was the only one he confided it in. Mikasa understood his reasons, and she knew he must do this. He had to do all he can to protect Carla. Now he returned, months later with an enemy army at his tail. But Mikasa couldn't he happier. When they were together, nothing seemed impossible. They completed each other. Marley can throw all it wants on them, they will be ready.

The present day Mikasa Ackerman was torn from her thoughts by the bell marking the lunch break. Her trainees were landing on the ground all around her. She quickly hid her embarrassed look behind the red scarf she always wore, the first gift her ever gave her. She waved her hand, dismissing the class and allowing them to go eat. With her palm raised, her new ring caught the sun, glittering. Smile spreads on her lips. Eren asking her to marry him was another thing she didn't expect. Not this soon at least. Sure, they knew each other a very long time. But she didn't want a marriage now. She told him as much and he agreed. The engagement was good enough for now. The day she is going to marry him will be the day when there will be no more problems in their life. Sometimes she imagined it in her head. Marley will be defeated. The titans will be tamed. Maybe that day will not come. But just a few years back, she didn't even hope to have a family. Yet here she was, training new soldiers for the war to come. She had a daughter. She had Eren as a fiancé. She was happy.

Thinking about him brought back the memory of morning. Today, Eren was not happy.

"I don't want to talk to him. "

"You promised it to Armin, remember? Come on, Levi won't bite. "

He chuckled at that.

"You sure? "

She swatted his arm playfully as they entered the headquarters.

"It will be fine. Just ask him, get his answer and leave. You can tell Armin if he is going to be mean at you. "

Eren frowned at that.

"I don't need Armin to solve my problems, I can do it on my own. "

She smiled before kissing him.

"So, what are you waiting for? "

Now, walking back towards the building, Mikasa wondered if Levi didn't actually bite Eren. She would have to ask.


	16. Talk

Eren has been afraid at multiple points in his life. Yet he still couldn't wrap his head around this feeling. Standing before the door leading to Levi's office, he felt terrified. Honestly speaking, he would rather face Warhammer titan again then do what he came here to do. Damn Armin. Damn that stupid promise. Theoretically, there was nothing to fear. The general himself promised that if Levi won't give him the marriage permission, he will do it himself. So why was he so scared? Eren steeled himself, knocked and walked in.

He found Levi exactly as he expected him to find. Sitting behind his table with a stack of papers. The look in his eyes was the one he always had lately. Like he was just disturbed from very important activity and whatever you wanted from him, it was not worth his time.

"Eren, what do you want? "

He gulped, mentally preparing what to say.

"Sir, I have a request. "

Levi narrowed his eyes, suddenly looking very suspicious.

"And what would the request be? "

"I... I need your permission to marry. "

"Ah. Can I ask who is the lucky guy? "

Eren frowned.

"Sir I'm not like that. It's a girl "

Levi didn't seem amused.

"You sure? After working with you for some time I have serious doubts about your orientation. "

Eren was baffled. If there was one person he didn't expect to do stupid jokes, it was the commander.

"Sir, its Mikasa. I want to marry Mikasa. "

"No. "

That took the wind out of his sails. Such a blatant refusal got his thoughts all jumbled up.

"Sir, I'm serious. "

"So am I. I won't give you the permit Yeager. "

"Can I ask why? "

Levi stood, balling his hands into fists and putting them on the table as he leaned forward.

"Its quite simple. You don't deserve her. I do not approve of your relationship at all. Without you, she can be the greatest soldier in the history. You are a distraction, a wildcard. You have already fucked up her life with a kid, so how about you stop holding her back now. "

Eren was taken aback with such open hostility. But he also felt a cold determination rising in his chest.

"With all due respect, Sir, I believe that it is Mikasa who decides if I deserve her or not. "

"The girl is fixed on you. She doesn't see you as you truly are. "

"Maybe that is true. But I love her, and she loves me. If you think that we are going to let you stand between us, you are very wrong. "

They stared into each other's eyes for a moment. Until Levi sighed and sat down.

"All right, Yeager, you are right. It's her decision after all. But I want you both to know that I still don't approve of any of this. I'll write you the permit, because you would get it anyway, but I still think she is making a big mistake. "

Eren didn't expect the commander to back off like this. Especially not after his fiery speech about how undeserving of Mikasa he is. But he didn't want to push his luck, so he sat down, opposite of the shorter man as he started filling out the needed form.

"I hope you know what you are doing Yeager. She doesn't deserve anything but the best from you, I hope you realize that. "

"Yes sir. I swear ill do my best to do right by her in the time I have left. I know that in the past I have been very unfair, but those days are gone. I am a different person now. "

Levi finished writing on the permit and handed Eren the paper. The younger man wanted to say something, but the commander waved him off. There was enough talk for one day. So, the shifter saluted and exited the office, clutching the permit in his hand.

When Eren came down to the mess hall, Armin was already sitting there waiting for him. They greeted each other before sitting down. He wasn't sure what the blonde wanted to talk about, but he was always happy to help his friend. The general was also the first to talk.

"So Eren, how is the training with Annie going? "

"Good, I feel like I am learning something new every time. "

"And how is Annie, does she look fine? "

"Yea, she is good. But now that I think about it, yesterday she seemed to be off a bit. Like something was on her mind. "

Armin squeezed his eyes shut. So, she was thinking about the kiss too. He would be happier if she just forgot about the whole thing, but it seems like he was not whose thoughts were filled with the memory of her soft lips on his own. He didn't want to talk about Annie anymore. The memory was still too fresh for him.

"So, what about the permit, did you get it? "

Eren grinned and pulled out a piece of paper.

"The old man actually gave it to me; would you believe it? "

Armin forced his own mouth to smile.

"I'm happy for you both, honestly. Did you decide about the wedding date? "

Eren's smile died down a bit.

"We want to wait for the end of the war Armin. It wouldn't feel right doing it before. "

Armin understood. He also knew that there was quite a big possibility that one of them won't make it to the end. Their gloomy mood was interrupted by Mikasa, coming from her morning training. The conversation grew more relaxed, as they talked about various things, until Armin took his leave, saying he must go back to his office. As soon as they were alone, Mikasa scooted a bit closer, pressing a sudden kiss to Eren's mouth. He was surprised, but not complaining.

"What's with the sudden affection? ", he asked when they finally broke off to breathe.

"I was just thinking about us, about our past, about the things we are doing now. ", she smiled.

"It made me miss you. "

Eren smiled and pushed closer, pressing a fleeting kiss to her lips before asking: "How much did you miss me? "

Her hand made a slow way down his abdomen before cupping his erection, the simple touch making him hiss.

"Let me show you. "

They made their way upstairs, where a number of unoccupied rooms was. The headquarters was prepared to house many more soldiers then there were at the moment. The short way was lengthened by the number of make out stops. When they finally stumbled in the room, both were red faced and out of breath. Now came the real problem. With both of them wearing uniforms, the sheer number of straps was overwhelming. But when Eren reached out to the belts holding Mikasa's chest piece in place she stopped him, whispering: "We really don't have this kind of time. I have to get back. "

He understood. There were other and faster ways to get stuff done. Unlacing the necessary pieces, together they pushed Mikasa's pants down just enough. As Eren undid his zipper, his already very hard member springing free, she turned around and bend to grant him better access. Normally Eren loved taking it slow. He loved the sight of her naked body. He loved covering every inch of her skin with his lips. He loved kissing her where she was most sensitive, hearing her moan and cry out for him. But today, there was simply no time. So, he pressed on her from behind, kissing her behind the ear as he slid himself in. Mikasa closed her eyes, her jaw clenching as a quiet whine escaped her lips. It felt funny. They were pretty much fully clothed, just few small pieces removed to allow their lovemaking. But he was enjoying it no less than usual. She was just that amazing.

He apologized for his rough behavior by kissing the corner of her mouth, but Mikasa was wasting no time. Her hips started to roll into his, creating the pleasurable friction they both needed. He hurried to catch up, his movements growing more hurried as he was nearing his release. But he didn't want to finish alone. His hand sneaked its way down into her pants, pressing two fingers down on the small bundle of nerves. Her limbs jerked as he rubbed her, her own high approaching at alarming rate. She came first, and she came hard, her muscles massaging the length of him inside her. He surrendered to the pleasure, his own release following hers just after a couple more thrusts. Out of breath, he bends down to kiss her neck as she chuckled.

When they separated and caught their breaths, he helped her fix her uniform after doing up his zipper. Now they just lay there, next to each other, enjoying the post coital glow flowing through them both. The silence stretched until Mikasa propped her head up on one elbow with a smile on her lips.

"So Eren, you must tell me, did Levi bite you or not? "


	17. Beginning of the end

Zeke Yeager was standing on the balcony overlooking the harbor, smoking a cigarette. Below him the Marley military under the command of general Magath was boarding the numerous ships that will carry them across the ocean. To Paradis. Zeke felt grim satisfaction. It was partly his doing that Magath finally acknowledged waiting will not gain him any more supporters. So, the order was given, and the invasion officially begun. It costed the general arm and a leg, but he bought enough resources out of his own pocket for his army to be well equipped. They had a number of anti-titan cannons and even a few airships. Zeke was supposed to ride one of those zeppelins with squad of prisoners injected with his spinal fluid. Once he gives the order, they will transform into mindless titans under his command. A powerful tactic. One they already successfully used in the past.

Zeke threw the cigarette butt over the railing, watching it fall into water. He had no idea what to expect from the devils after the years of separation. They had no intel. Nothing apart the new gear they used to save Eren after he came to Marley. Zeke almost felt sorry for the Eldians. They obviously raced to catch up in technology. They did their best to survive. But it will not be enough. Theo Magath had enough troops with advanced weaponry to crush them to dust. And he also had the warriors, titan shifters under his command. There's nothing that can save them. He looked to the sky, watching first of the airships slowly roll over him. Then he focused on the horizon, in the direction of the devil's island. Hold on little brother, I'm coming. And this time, nothing will save you from me.

The morning of Theo Magath, the general in charge of the Eldian invasion, was hectic. Finally moving the army was even more work then gathering it. But he felt satisfied. This was finally happening. No more delays. The dealing with the merchants was tedious. It set him in huge debt, but it didn't matter. Once he conquers Paradis, he will be hero. He turned his gaze to the men in the room with him, his closest officers.

"How is the mobilization going? "

"Splendid sir, we are proceeding as according to the plan. "

Magath nodded, before turning back to the papers.

"What about the research team, did they board the ships? "

"Yes sir, they were amongst the first to arrive. I was also told to inform you that the serum you requested is ready and waiting to be used. "

The general nodded. This new project can be very useful if used correctly. Magath stood and made his way to leave the room. It was his time to enter the airship and join the invasion personally. It was time to carve his name into the history.

Back on the island, the newly engaged couple was having a lazy morning. They both woke early, but since neither of them were on for a morning shift and Carla didn't require their attention, they decided to stay in bed. With the covers kicked down, Eren was laying with his head on Mikasa's toned stomach as she combed her fingers through his long hair. He didn't cut it when he returned, and she was growing fond of it. It gave him more youthful, boyish look. She sighed contently as he kissed her bellybutton, nuzzling into the soft skin. Moments like these were just pure bliss.

Yesterday, after they returned from the headquarters and put Carla to bed they went upstairs and they enjoyed each other slowly, taking as much as they could. It felt precious. They both knew that sooner rather then later the war will begin. Then all this will be a precious memory. Until they win. And they will win. There is nothing that can beat them when they are together.

Mikasa was the first one to speak, the sound of her voice breaking the silence.

"Eren, what day is it today? "

He was a bit surprised at the question. Usually she was the one more aware of well, everything. He pressed another kiss to the soft skin of her belly as she scratched his scalp affectionately.

"Its Friday. Is something happening? "

"Yes, but it will take just a minute. ", she frowned when he made no move to get off her. "But you will have to let me get out of the bed. "

He smiled, pressing his face back to her skin. "I don't really feel like letting you out. "

She sighed, "Eren please, I swear ill come back to bed as quick as I can. "

He groaned before rolling off her. Mikasa climbed out of the bed, walking to her dresser. She was aware that his gaze never left her figure, starting on her legs and slowly climbing up to settle on her ass. Pervert. She quickly pulled out the drawer she needed, pulling out and injection out of the leather case. Eren pushed himself up on his elbows, seeing the needle, growing serious.

"Mikasa? What is that? "

She made her way back to the bed, sitting on the edge. She didn't realize that he never saw her using the serum before. Well, high time he understands then.

"Eren, have you ever wondered why I never got pregnant again? "

He scratched the back of his head. He didn't give it much thought to be honest. She showed him the syringe.

"Because of this. It's one of the inventions coming from Hange's division. Some kind of titan science, I don't really understand it. But it works. If I inject myself at the start of the month, I can't get pregnant for the duration of it. "

He nodded. It made sense. After all, they weren't using any other kind of protection. And Mikasa got pregnant pretty quickly the first time. She pushed the injection into her forearm skillfully. After pulling it out, there was next to no blood. She discarded the used dose, climbing back into the bed. He crawled back into his previous position, laying his head on her stomach as she once again started to comb through his hair.

"One day, you won't have to use it. "

His voice carried a tone of intensity as he looked up to see her face, determination in his eyes.

"One day, we will have as many children as you want. "

She smiled upon hearing that, it was good seeing him so passionate about them. About their family. She pulled him up for a kiss, before flipping their position deftly. Now straddling his hips, she bent down to whisper in his ear as she started rolling her hips into his.

"So why don't we start practicing now? "


	18. One more night

For once in his life, general Armin Arlert didn't know what to do. For all his intelligence, he couldn't figure out what to do about Annie. He couldn't get her out of his mind. He had to find closure. He had to talk to her. Otherwise he will be distracted and will not be able to use his full brain capacity to command the army. Yes, that was the only reason why he needs to see her. Totally.

As he walked to the entrance to her cell, he tried, in his mind, to piece together what to say to her. He will start with something safe. Hello Annie. How are you? Yea, and then what. He groaned. Talking with her used to have soothing effect on his mind. Now he feared it. The soldiers granted him entrance as he steeled himself and walked in. Time to end this once and for all.

Annie was sitting on the bed, reading a book. She looked as beautiful as ever. It took his breath away. Dazed by her, he simply stood there, unable to form any words. She tugged a few strands of her blonde hair from her face as she looked up at him, the ice blue of her eyes piercing into his.

"Annie… Hi…I just, I just came to ask... "

He was gone. He had no idea what to say. She closed her book and stood up, closing the distance between them in a few quick steps. And then she was kissing him. His mind went blank as instincts took over his body, his hands dropping to her hips to pull her closer. They tumbled to the bed, their clothes falling off the side to the floor. She looked amazing. The beautiful strength of her muscles, her firm curves, the patch of blonde between her legs. When they were both naked, the sight of her somehow roused the intelligent part of his brain which forced him to pull back.

"We can't. Annie, I can't do this. "

Her hand wrapped around his neck as she pulled him back close, her lips brushing his as she whispered.

"For once in your life, Armin, stop thinking. Just do what feels right. "

And he surrendered. The smaller part of his brain kept screaming at him. Telling him its all wrong, that he is not supposed to do this. But it just felt too good, too real. When he entered her, and she moaned, the sound muffled by her own hand, it was the best thing he felt in his entire life. He started moving right away, his snapping into hers with blind urgency. He felt her everywhere. He warmth, her smell, the feeling of her skin on his. It was divine. He pushed his mouth on hers, drinking in the sounds she was making. They had to keep quiet.

A while later, when they both finished, and his thinking came back to him, he felt ashamed. He got out of the bed, collecting his clothes from the floor and dressing silently. He made his way back to the door before turning back to her. She was still naked, lying idly on the bed, her eyes looking at him with no sign of regret in them.

"I would appreciate if we could keep this between ourselves, Annie. I am sorry, I shouldn't have done it. "

She smiled, the rare expression making her features thaw.

"You think I regret this Armin? It was great. In fact, we could do this again sometime. "

Her response, far better then he expected it to be, has surprised him. But before he could reply, there was a sound of someone urgently knocking at the door. Armin quickly stepped through before the guy at the other side could come in, closing the door behind him. He was greeted by a young officer, out of breath, whose face looked very glum.

"Sir, you have to get to the war room. Marley ships has been spotted. They are coming. "

Eren felt a mixture of pride and pain as he watched his group train close quarters fighting with each other. They got better. A lot better. And it was useless. They will most likely get thrown at the enemy to die. Because that was their fate, and he couldn't do anything about it. But he did his best. Him training them in close combat was from a big part Mikasa's doing, because she was the one who he trained with in human form. She was still far better then him, but he was improving under her tutelage. Training with her also meant that sometimes they ended up in a much more pleasurable physical exercise. He smiled. Perhaps he could go see her after lunch and ask if she can't give him another lesson. His train of thought was derailed by a messenger.

"Sir, you must report to war room immediately. "

He wanted to ask more, but the boy took off, having to inform a number of officers, not just him. He dismissed his class and walked to his new destination. Upon getting there, he found out that everyone else was present already. Historia, Armin, Levi, Hange and the two commanders representing police and garrison. The remaining seats were filled with Connie, Sasha, Jean and of course Mikasa. He walked over and took a seat next to her. Armin looked up from the maps, nodding at him.

"Since we are all here, I believe that it is time for the big announcement. The Marley military ships were spotted heading to our coast. They moved faster then we expected, but we are ready. We must get moving. "

He gestured over to the map on the wall, detailing the area where the enemy will unload their troops.

"We will split our forces into two main parts to cover more ground. The main bulk will be led by commander Levi, and it will be their job to meet the enemy forces head on. For this reason, Eren Yeager, our titan shifter, will be assigned to him. Same goes for you Jean and your cavalry, and Connie with his infantry divisions. The other part of the army will be under command of Mikasa Ackerman. Their job is to attack the Marley soldiers unexpectedly. You are tasked with disruption of supply lines, guerilla warfare and similar tactics. Make the lives of the enemy as miserable as possible. Mikasa, you will be in command of your own special unit, and I'm also assigning Sasha and her forest hunters to you. I believe you will find a good use for them. "

Suddenly, realization dawned on Eren as he felt Mikasa squeeze his hand. They will be separated. Both assigned to different parts of the army. His heart dropped. But as usual with Armin, it made sense. Their talents were most useful in different parts of the battlefield. He needed to fight the enemy head on, to force his titan to evolve as quickly as possible. Mikasa was most effective in hit and run tactics, leading a small elite unit to kill larger groups of enemies and disappearing before anyone could notice.

And Armin was not even done talking yet.

"More orders will be issued as soon as we gather more info. For now, I want you to go back to your respective squads and move them to positions. We will not wait for the enemy to get close to our walls. We will meet them on a ground of our choosing. And we will make them bleed for every inch of our homeland. That said, this meeting is concluded. The troops will start moving tomorrow. You are dismissed. "

The chairs scraped the ground as people left the room to fulfil his orders. Mikasa and Eren were amongst the first to leave, eager to send their orders and get home as quickly as possible. But as soon as they left the building, Eren suddenly realized he forgot to take his jacket, much to Mikasa's amusement. He groaned in frustration before kissing her on the cheek, promising he will be as quick as possible and ran back up the stairs to the room. But when he threw the door open, he was surprised to see Connie and Sasha jumping from each other, red faced with crumbled clothes. With downcast eyes, the girl squeezed past him and out to the corridor, while Connie stood awkwardly, running one hand through his short hair.

"Shit weather we are having, right? "

Eren grinned, shaking his head, before retrieving the jacket and making his way back down to the waiting Mikasa. Seems like they weren't the only ones with a relationship after all. The others just seemed better at hiding it.

After relaying the orders, they slowly walked home, hand in hand. They didn't speak, just quietly enjoyed each other presence. When they got home, Rose somehow felt the seriousness of the mood, for once not cracking any jokes.

"Rose, we will be leaving tomorrow. It has started. ", said Mikasa, her voice grim.

Rose shook her head, tears pooling in her eyes.

"I hope that no one of you plan on dying in this. If you do, I will be very angry with you. "

She walked over to them and hugged them both.

"I will take Carla back to my house again. Please, return as quickly as possible. Both of you. "

She quickly collected her belongings and packed things for Carla, leaving after the baby's parents had their chance to say their goodbyes. When they were alone, Mikasa slowly walked over to Eren, putting her arms around his neck as he buried his face in her hair. They had just one last night to enjoy each other. And they aimed to make the most of it. Eren picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her upstairs. Time was short.

Commander Levi was angry at himself. At his own weakness. He didn't want to see other people, he had mission to focus on. But instead he found himself walking to the remote parts of the research division following the familiar way to Hange's office. He knocked before entering, finding her sprawled over some new designs with the same stupidly excited look she always wore. He sighed. This was the woman he tolerated. Great.

"Commander! ", she beamed up upon seeing him, "Have you come to check up on my new projects? "

He snorted. No, that was not why he was here.

"I just came to ask if you would like some company tonight. It is the last time we get to be with each other, after all. "

She laughed at that.

"Levi, you are always so cold with your words. How long has this been going on between us? Three, four years? And you still wont even kiss me in public. "

"I do not believe that public is a place to show our affection to each other. That is a private thing and I don't feel the need to shove it into peoples faces. Unlike some others. "

Hanji walked over to him with a bright smile, "Luckily ", she whispered, "we are alone now. "

The kiss was everything Levi needed now. It promised the sweet release from any need to think about the future for a time. He groaned when her lips left him, already starving for more.

"As much as I like you taking me in my office, this is the last night we get to have together. So, let's take it to my room, shall we? "

When he followed her, he wondered why does he feel this way about her. Why he tolerated her. Its not like he actually feels anything for her, does he? When they reached their destination and she pulled him through her door, he left his thoughts outside. No, he wont think about it. He will enjoy it, because that's what they always did. Thinking is for tomorrow.

The war can wait one more night.


	19. Until we meet again

The night behind the windows was still young when they reached their bedroom. Eren sat Mikasa down on the bed, kneeling to remove her shoes. There was a certain reverence in the way he was touching her, going as slow as physically possible. He wanted to engrave every single moment into his memory, a thing to be treasured later, once the war will tear them apart. She didn't pose a question to his tempo, understanding how much he needed this, needed her. She watched him in silence, only raising her hips to aid him in pulling off her pants. Eren then moved to the top, brushing her scarf out of the way to undo her shirt, one button at a time. More and more of her snow-white skin was coming into view, fueling his desire. But he held himself back.

After undoing her shirt and tugging it down her shoulders, he focused his attention on her wrist, undoing the bandage she wore to cover her tattoo. Once it was gone, he gently picked up her hand, pressing his lips against the marked skin. The show of affection made her smile. He was always fascinated by the mark of her clan mother etched onto her. Maybe he was considering getting a tattoo of his own. Her thoughts were cut short when he released her hand and started unwrapping her chest. Layer after layer, the bandages fell off to reveal the modest swell. She knew that her breasts were more on the smaller side, even after the pregnancy, but Eren adored them all the same. Yet now he exercised an impressive level of self-control and didn't touch her, even when he was burning to do it. Instead he lowered his hands to her panties, the last article of clothing she had left.

When she was completely naked, she raised an eyebrow on him, realizing that he didn't touch a single part of his own outfit. But before she could ask, he straightened enough to be on level with her and pushed his mouth onto hers. The kiss was the same as his behavior, slow, savoring and she was enjoying every second of it. He gently pushed her down to the bed, his hand finally climbing up her torso to touch her breast. Mikasa moaned into his mouth when he put pressure on her chest, his fingers rolling the quickly hardening nipple between them. She squirmed beneath him, hoping to increase the friction and he understood the message. Parting from her lips, he started kissing down her neck, sucking on her pulse point, leaving a red mark behind. At the same time he let his hand wander down, tracing the outlines of her abdominal muscles. Those things never failed to turn him on. As if he wasn't achingly hard already.

When his mouth made its way to her chest, he slowly dragged his tongue up one of her peaks, circling around the bud before sealing his lips around it. His hand meanwhile dipped between her legs, past the small patch of hair as he started rubbing the sides of her slit with two fingers. She gasped, the pleasure from multiple points pooling in her stomach. Yet he was still so slow, not rushing anywhere, running a pad of his finger up and down the whole length of her opening. Mikasa couldn't take the teasing much longer. She needed something more and she needed it now.

"Eren ", she breathed as she placed one hand on his head and gently pushed, hoping he will get the message, "please ". She felt him grin against her breast as he pressed last fleeting kiss to the peak before looking up at her, his eyes dark.

"As my lady commands. ", with that, he moved down, but not before pressing his tongue against her twitching abs. When he finally arrived at her entrance, she automatically put her legs on his shoulders to grant him better access, biting her lower lip in anticipation. She felt his fingers on her, pulling her outer lips open as he pressed the flat of his tongue right on her sex. Mikasa threw her head back, choking back a sob as he started moving the slick muscle, grinding on her exactly as she needed. Eren wasted on time now, the goal of giving her as much pleasure as she can handle clear in his mind. He moved his hand up from her thigh, gently rubbing on her clit with two fingers, increasing the tempo as her whole body contracted. In the same time, he sneaked his tongue inside her, tracing the memorized patterns.

Her legs started shaking on his shoulders as her hips grinded into his mouth, the control of her body slipping out of her grasp. He took it as a sign, replacing the hand on her clit with his mouth and sliding two fingers into her wet heat, curling them up to find the sweet spot. By the wild jerk of her hips and the moan that escaped her throat, he found it. Eren continued at merciless speed, his fingers pumping as he sucked on the engorged flesh bud, sending her over the edge. She lost control, a wild scream ripping from her throat as he felt her grow even wetter on his fingers. But he didn't stop. Soon, Mikasa's muscles contracted again as she came once more. And again. Soon she lost herself in the pleasure completely. Her mind was covered by a fog as her body continued to be serviced by Eren, her orgasms coming together to drown her in a permanent state of bliss.

He knew how much she can handle, the uncountable nights together giving him good enough estimate. So, he stopped right before it became too much to handle, withdrawing his fingers and his mouth from her. Mikasa was still gone, her whole body twitching with the aftershocks, eyes closed. He slumped down next to her. Watching her in ecstasy and knowing that it is his doing, that he can bring one of humanities best soldiers to the state when she completely loses control pleasured him greatly. Eren didn't know how much time has passed, but in the end her muscles finally stopped moving and her eyes slowly peeled open to his. He smiled.

"Hey baby, you okay? "

She nodded, not capable of speaking at the moment. He bent down to kiss her, her mouth slack beneath his in her exhaustion. But it was a big mistake underestimating Mikasa Ackerman. So, before he realized it, their position flipped, and he was the one with back pressed to the mattress.

"What are you doing? ", he asked, but couldn't keep the excitement out of his voice.

She smiles at him, her eyes dark with lust as she whispers: "Returning the favor. "

Now Eren is the one getting undressed, but she was fast, her desire to have him naked as much as she was burning. As soon as they are flesh to flesh, she covers his mouth once again, her fingers now the ones playing with his nipples. He is mad with want, the groans out of his throat sounding almost foreign as her lips starts moving down, biting the bud on its way. Her hand also made it to the place between his legs and she wrapped her fingers around his length, pumping him slowly. Eren can't help it, the way her thumb presses into the head of his member is just too perfect, he moans quite loudly. She snorts a laughter at that, the sound of him being almost feminine, but quickly cut his embarrassment short when her lips wrap around his head. Hollowing her cheeks out, she sucks, and he has to fight to keep another one of those womanly moans inside his throat. As her head starts moving down, taking him as far as she can, he loses the battle. There is no laughter on her part this time, instead she pushes back up before sliding back down, the bobbing of her head getting faster. Now Eren is the one getting lost in pleasure, one hand going down to tangle in her hair as she works. Its just too perfect, the way her tongue press at his slit, the way her hand plays with his balls at the same time, he can't hold it. He comes into her mouth with another moan, and she takes it all, not flinching for a moment. As his release rips through his body, his vision goes white. When Eren finally sees again, Mikasa is hovering over him with a satisfied smile.

"You liked that? "

He responds with a kiss.

It takes him some time to get ready again after her performance, but he manages. It certainly helps that he is touching the naked body of the most beautiful woman alive. When he is finally prepared again, he rolls them back over and takes her legs up on his shoulders, plunging as deep into her as he can. They are both beyond ready at this point, so he wastes no time and sets a hard, punishing pace. Her moans of approval mix with his own as he pounds into her, the wet sound of him moving in and out intertwining with the slaps of skin to skin. Guided by some instinct, he takes her foot and bites on her toes, running his tongue over them. Soon he feels her inner walls tightening around his shaft, signaling another peak for her. Her whole body arches at that, and the sight is enough to push him over, following her once again into the sweet bliss.

When they come back to senses, they just lay next to each other for a moment, listening to the quietness of the night. But Mikasa is insatiable tonight. The thought of the long coming separation fueling her hunger for him. And the feeling is not one-sided. As soon as her hand ghost over his member again, he hardens immediately. She takes the opportunity to straddle Eren's hips, pulling his shaft upright as she sinks down, mounting him. His pleasured groan is muffled by her lips pressed into his as her hips start moving again.

They spent the rest of the night like this. Making love to each other with pauses in-between to regain their spent energy. He takes her in every possible way, filling his memory with the feel of her, with the sounds of her moans and screams, with the way she scratches his back when he pushes deep inside her. Because once the morning sun will start shining through their windows, the duty will come knocking.

When the day breaks, and their time expires, they get up and dress. After packing the necessary things, he comes over to her, kissing her one last time. This time the motion of their lips is filled with love and promise. Promise that they will both make it to the end, to lay in each other's arms again. In the end they separate and walk out of the house to face the enemy.

The Marley have no idea what is coming at them.


	20. First contact

Supreme Leader of the Marley invasion forces, Theo Magath walked with a spring to his step. Everything was going smoothly so far. Their ships landed, and as expected, there was no resistance from Eldians. It was a smart move from them. When you live on an island and the enemy can come from any direction, it would be stupid trying to protect their entire coast. He expected that they have been spotted though, and immediately set a squad of scouts to map nearby terrain and report any sightings of the devils. The scouts which were already supposed to report back hours ago. Ok, so maybe not everything was going as smoothly as he wanted it to.

He was disturbed by an officer, which came with a salute and a grim look at his face.

"What is it? ", snapped Magath, not in the mood for formalities.

"Sir, the scouts. We found them. "

"Found them? They were supposed to report back to me. What do you mean you found them? "

The man paled a bit.

"We found the bodies. They are all dead sir. "

Fuck. So, the Eldian response was way faster then he anticipated. Somehow, they managed to get their own scouts in position first and hunted down his own recon squads. Now he was blind and deaf. But that didn't matter. All he had to do was march at the city and take it. The main bulk of enemy force will be sitting behind the walls, hiding. And they will be mightily surprised once the airships will start dropping titans right on their heads.

Yet even this guess proved to be wrong, as another officer came running, reporting sightings of enemy. They supposedly waited on the outskirts of the massive forest, not making any further movements. Magath set his jaw. All right, seems like the time for titan dropping is now.

"Bring me Zeke Yeager. Now. "

They both ran. Soon he was joined by his favorite titan shifter who, as usual, was smoking another cigarette.

"Yeager have u heard the news? "

The lanky man pulled out the smoke from his mouth before answering.

"Which ones? Our scouts got slaughtered news, or the enemy has made a move before us and is camped at the edge of the forest news. "

Magath had half a mind to slap the man. That stupidly smug smile was mocking him. But he gritted his teeth and endured it. Zeke was too useful for him.

"Both. Since you are so well informed, I will cut straight to the chase. Get the prisoner loaded airship, fly to the neutral ground between us, transform them and set them free on the enemy camp. I want the fuckers to run back to where they came from before sun sets today. "

Zeke saluted, quite lazily, before making his way to the airship docks. Right. Now to just sit back and enjoy the show.

It didn't take long before the blip took off, slowly making its way to the neutral field between the two camps. Then the men started falling. Before they could reach the ground, an unnatural scream came from the airship. And the prisoners started transforming. In a blink of an eye, the field was littered with mindless titans. They stood still for a moment, and then broke into a run towards the Eldian camp.

"Eren, we are running out of fucking time! "

Levi was getting nervous as he watched the giant shapes creeping closer and closer. Luckily for them, Armin predicted that Marley will use mindless titans as the first weapon. Their countermeasure was Eren using his coordinate to turn them back. And the plan wasn't working.

Eren stood between the trees in his titan form, giant brows furrowed in concertation. Commanding mindless titans was the most basic use of the coordinate. But he didn't have royal blood to activate it. So, they gambled, as usual. Eren said that he can use the ability on this lowest level without Historia. That the strength of the attack titan to always evolve will recognize his inability to use the founding titan's power as a weakness and will work on fixing it. It was a shot in the dark, but Eren believed he can do it. Until now. He roared, but nothing happened. The mindless titans continued their way to their camp.

Eren cursed himself as he closed his eyes again, trying to focus. He cleared his mind, that used to help in the past. He had to do it. They must show Magath that the use of mindless titans will not be effective against them. After all, every single of those giants was an Eldian citizen. They were about to be attacked by their own nation. He had to prevent that.

Suddenly a memory flared up in his head. It was Mikasa, as they stood in their room before the departure to their respective parts of the army. He saw her smile again. He could feel the soft skin of her cheek as he caressed it. She smiled at him before repeating the words she said to him that morning.

"We will survive this Eren. As long as you believe in yourself, nothing is impossible for you. We will come back to our daughter. Together. "

The next roar that came from the titan shook Levi to his bones. It was like the whole ground was ripping apart from the force of it. And this time, the mindless ones listened to it. They stopped. And then they turned around and started marching towards the Marley encampment.

Levi felt a weight fall from his shoulders. He sighed in relief. Maybe Eren isn't so useless after all.

It took Magath a few moments to realize what was happening. The mindless titans Zeke was supposed to control were making a beeline for his camp instead of the enemy. Once the shock wore off, he started shouting orders for the anti-titan artillery to be armed. In the end they managed to clear most of the titans before they reached the camp, but some squeezed through. Those all took their toll on the lives of his soldiers before finally succumbing to concentrated fire. The general was very angry. And his mood certainly didn't improve when he saw Zeke walking towards him, with another fucking cigarette hanging from his mouth.

"Seems like the usurper has managed to obtain a certain level of control over coordinate. This makes any plans we had with the mindless ones useless. "

So, the Yeager boy had just broken a big part of their invading strategy. This day could not get any worse. He summoned an officer to set a meeting with his commanders. Seems like their battle plan was in a need of a serious update. But as he turned his back towards Zeke, the shifter spoke again.

"I still have over half of the prisoners ready. What am I supposed to do with them? "

Magath turned back to look at him, his eyes grim.

"Have them executed. They are useless now. "

What does he care about some fucking Eldian lives. As soon as he will eradicate those devils on the island, maybe it will be time to do something about those fuckers back in Marley as well. As he walked to the command tent, his mood could not get any darker.


	21. Be careful what you wish for

The Paradis invasion was quickly turning out to be the bloodiest conflict in recent history. The Military leaders of Marley had no idea what to do. The problems were piling up. Any scouts sent out to map were promptly killed. With no one to guide them, the main body of the army was stumbling blindly. They had somewhat vague knowledge of where the city was, but that was not enough. Especially when every step of the way was living hell.

Their supply wagons were getting raided almost daily by small groups of warriors armed with the flying gears. Those squad were usually led by a young woman with a red scarf. Her incredible combat capabilities have earned her a nickname. The Marley soldiers were calling her The Red Death, because of the color of the fabric she wore around her neck. And they feared her. The fear was another rising problem. While the soldiers had nowhere to desert, the morale was crushed. Fighting against enemy who came unseen, killed several men, ransacked your supplies and disappeared without a trace was terrifying.

Whoever was in the charge of the guerilla warfare was a genius. They always attacked when least expected and got away before reinforcements could arrive to turn the tide. The result was that the Marley army was bleeding lives and equipment every day while the Eldians had next to no losses.

The plan to counter this was simple. They had to get out of range of this goddamn forest. The giant trees looming over them, throwing shadows larger than titans. To protect the wagons, Magath tried positioning Reiner and Galliard to defend them. Partially he was successful. While the attack was repelled, the thunder spears armed flyers managed to almost kill the jaw titan. That scared the general. He could not lose his shifters. So, he opted for the soldiers to guard the supplies instead. That made the whole movement of the army slow down to a speed of a slug. When they finally reached the open fields, Magath felt relief. He thought that the raids were done. He was wrong.

The first night they were attacked again. And this time, the enemy brought out the big guns. The darkness outside was total, when the camp was roused by a sound of thunder, signaling that a shifter has just become a titan. They stumbled out of their tents to be greeted by a towering Attack titan with a number of infantry units supporting him. Then the hell began. The giant was crushing everything around him, killing soldiers by dozens, while the Eldians began burning the tents. The panic was spreading at an alarming rate. Immediately the shifters were sent for. Before any of them arrived, good fifth of the camp was burning.

When all four warriors arrived in their titan forms, the raiders began to retreat. They ran back into the night, being chased by many angry Marley soldiers, hell bent on revenge. And that was another mistake. With a thunder of hooves, riders appeared. They cut through the unorganized group like a hot knife through butter. The hunters quickly became the prey. They were saved by the arrival of the titans, upon which the cavalry disappeared into the darkness.

Once the morning came, they could count their losses. This was the bloodies battle so far, with a number of causalities on the side of Eldians. But much bigger number of Marley men have perished. The field was littered with bodies, big part of the camp was reduced to smoldering rubble, and while they were engaged, the flying bastards attacked again, this time destroying a huge number of the anti-titan guns and cutting down almost all the cannoneers. That's when a decision was made.

The army started digging trenches, reinforcing the camp. In the meantime, the airships were sent out to find the city. A new plan was forged. They will wait here, while the blips will give them the information they needed. However, things got complicated again when one of the airships was shot down. As it turned out, the colossal titan could throw things. Very big things. And he was way more accurate then anyone thought. He appeared out of nowhere, shifting in a cover, threw a giant boulder at one of the blips. The flyer came crashing down. The same tactic was repeated, and second of their three airships was destroyed. Luckily the last one was able to climb high enough to be safe. The titan disappeared in a cloud of steam before anyone could react. Now all the Marley soldiers could do was wait. And pray that the city will be found soon.

It lasted five days. Five days they were under siege. Five nights were spent shivering inside their flimsy walls. The Read Death came again, reaping more lives. The attack titan also appeared, crushing soldiers and equipment alike until he was chased out. But then the blessed blip came back, bearing the exact location of the walled city. Magath gritted his teeth as he ordered his men to break the camp and get ready to move. The time for revenge was nigh.

In one of the small hidden Eldian camps, Eren was sitting on a narrow bed, staring at his hands. He could still feel the blood on them from last night. He never expected he will feel this way about the enemy, but he was terrible. Those night attacks were a necessity, he knew as much, but killing unarmed men as they stumbled from their tents was taking a serious mental tax on him. He used to think about himself as a monster. Now he was sure he was one.

He couldn't even engage the enemy shifters. Every time he saw them, the titan inside roared his challenge, prepared to fight to the dead. And every time Eren was forced to turn around and run. It was tearing him apart. The more powerful his titan was, the more he could feel him in his thoughts. It wasn't an alien feeling. It was part of him. All the rage he had inside was destroying him. He felt like two different people. One of them was the new Eren, the more thoughtful one who hated the war he started himself. All he wanted was to be back with his family, to be safe. The second was the titan who fused with the old Eren, using all the old anger as fuel. The titan reveled in killing. He loved when his fists were covered in blood, hearing the enemy cry for help. He was also the one pushing for the conflict with the shifters. He wanted to fight them. He needed the challenge.

When he shifted, it got worse. The titan was taking control of more of his actions. Last night Eren lost the fight completely, blacking out and later woke up back in their camp with a concerned looking Levi watching him. The commander told him that he rampaged through the enemy forces, not listening to the order of retreat until the last possible second. Eren hated this. He still remembered that when he lost control, he almost killed Mikasa. The scar on her cheek was a constant reminder of that. But she was gone now. He missed her terribly. She had a soothing effect on his mind. Now he was alone. And every night he had to shift again to kill more of the soldiers. He fought hard against it, but he knew the truth. The control over his mind was slipping away from him.

Levi walked to his office, shutting the door behind him. Tonight's raid was another success, but Eren was growing more and more distant. That was a problem. Everybody knew that the boy is hardly mentally stable. His mind bore a mark of the constant conflict he was in, the loss of his parents, the number of betrayals and of course the paths. Slowly slipping new memories that didn't belong to him into his consciousness. Levi sighed. He couldn't do anything about this. There was only one man who had authority to change things. So, he sat down and began writing his report to the general.

There was a lot to tell.


	22. Fear of the dark

Report #1

To: General Arlert

From: Commander Ackerman

The first clash went as planned. Enemy tried using mindless titans which Eren managed to turn back on them. No losses at our side. Enemy didn't engage his titan shifters.

Report #2

To: General Arlert

From: Commander Ackerman

The enemy is scared to move fast. Supply wagons raids are going as expected. Considerable losses on enemy side. They will reach the plains soon, in which case I will move on to stage two.

Report #3

To: General Arlert

From: Commander Ackerman

Stage two in effect. As instructed, we pulled out our titan to a nightly attack. High body count scored. Big part of camp burned down. Cavalry saw its share of blood, proven to be effective. Enemy used his shifters to chase us out. Artillery severely crippled.

Report #4

To: General Arlert

From: Commander Ackerman

We have them pinned down. They have build walls and trenches to keep us out, but that won't help them. Will execute another raid with Eren at night.

Report #5

To: General Arlert

From: Commander Ackerman

Sir, I have growing concerns about our titan asset. He grows more and more distant. The response times while he is shifted are lengthening. Advising possible change of strategy.

Report #6

To: General Arlert

From: Commander Ackerman

Attack titan was completely unresponsive during tonight's fight. He rampaged through the enemy camp on his own. Just as I was about to try getting Yeager out of the nape he turned back. Sir, I know I have been given the mission to monitor him and I am doing my best. You have told me that if it comes to the worst, I am supposed to take care of Eren. Make sure he doesn't fall into enemy hands. But as the fighting continues, I am faced with a problem. I might not be able to fulfill given mission. In the nightly bloodbaths he is growing stronger and stronger. I strongly advise for a certain someone to be transferred here to put his mind at ease. Otherwise we might be faced with a very big problem in the future.

Levi sat back in his chair and groaned, rubbing his eyes. Despite his urging, Armin didn't seem to take the problem of Eren's mentality seriously. He didn't see him. He didn't see the hollow look in his eyes. The way he was just staring at distance. His complete lack of response on any kind of order. They couldn't lose him. His titan was possibly their strongest weapon. Sure, they still had Armin's colossal titan. And Annie. That girl was still a wildcard. For now, she remained locked up, but there could come time when they will need her. And if she betrays them again, it might spell the end of Paradis.

There was someone who could calm him. His girlfriend. Levi snorted. Actually, now she was his fiancé, right? He still didn't like them being together, but he couldn't deny that Yeager was happier when he was around her. Collected. Not a bloodthirsty monster that didn't care for its superiors yelling at it to withdraw. But she was gone, doing the nightly runs to disrupt and destroy enemy supply lines alongside Sasha. And she was doing a great job. Marleyans pulled back a serious part of the army to try and defend against her, but it was proving ineffective so far. But maybe the mental stability of their best shifter would be worth pulling her back. How the times have changed. Just a few years ago it was Mikasa who needed Eren. But she has grown. She was her own woman now, and while she was romantically involved with him, she was independent. It seems like Yeager was the one who needed her to keep himself sane.

Levi didn't blame him. Just imagining several other people's memories flowing inside his head was frightening. The commander didn't fear titans, enemies or wars. But his head was his own refugee. A place that no one else could enter. And Eren had this last sanctuary taken away from him. The paths were useful to be sure, but they were a significant mental strain. Seeing past, present and future mingle together in your head. Levi furrowed his brow. It sounded crazy.

The drastic shift in Yeager's mindset was curious. He was shifting a lot lately, before the war, but he used to be stable. Seems like the war had some kind of effect on him, very negative one at that. He had no idea what was making him go crazy at this fast of a rate, but he was concerned about him.

Levi didn't understand it. She was not even that far. Just a quick change could bring her here for a day. Or just a few hours. Anything would help him. But no such order came. For some reason Armin seemed bent on keeping them apart. With the general making no move to assist him, perhaps it was his time to try and help Eren. He stood from his chair and left his office, seeking the younger soldier. He found him outside, gazing at the sky. They were relatively safe here. The enemy encampment was far enough that they wouldn't be seen, and they had lit no torches to signal their position. Levi went to stand next to Yeager, who was sitting on the ground.

"Eren, how do you feel? "

His question got ignored. He didn't even look away from the sky.

"Its so dark tonight. The sky is completely black. "

Levi directed his gaze up. He was right, it was rather dark. The moon and stars were almost invisible, their light choked out by the overwhelming amount of darkness. The stillness of the night was cut by Eren's voice.

"It reminds me of something, the color. Of someone I knew. Or know. I'm not sure. "

"Who is it? "

"A girl. A woman. She had hair like this. Dark. I think I felt something for her. Or was it someone else? "

"Do you remember her name? "

Eren looked him straight in the eyes.

"Mikasa. "

Levi felt very uneasy. What the hell? They were separated for a couple of weeks and he couldn't remember her anymore? What was he playing at? But his face bore no signs of joking. He was dead serious. And that was troubling.

"Eren, you know Mikasa. You are engaged to her, you have child together. You didn't see her just for a short amount of time, what is happening? "

He stared at him for a moment, terror in his eyes, before shaking his head and looking at his hands.

"Yes, you are right, I remember now. ", he sighed, the pain his face clearly visible, "Was it just a few weeks? It feels like an eternity. Every time I transform I feel a part of me slipping away. Losing my own personality, my own memories to the paths. The more I use my powers, the more they take. ", he buried his face in his hands, "There are episodes that I don't even feel like myself anymore. "

"Levi, how can I keep fighting when I may not even remember why I fight in the end? "

And for once, the commander had no answer to give him.

The wind flew over the field, ruffling their hair, bringing a biting cold with him. But that was nothing compared to the freezing fear Eren felt in his heart. In the distance they could see the enemy camp having a sudden rise in activity. Seems like they will be on the move again soon.


	23. Darkness inside

Armin stared at the report on his desk, battling the growing feeling of uneasiness in his stomach. So Eren was going crazy at much faster rate than anyone anticipated. Great. He didn't understand why though. There must be something, some piece of puzzle he is missing. No way that the Attack titan was destroying the mind of his host this fast. He walked over to his files, grabbing some from the top and reading through. There must be a way to find out what is happening. And he will discover it.

It didn't even take him that long. After checking out several reports, he pulled out the one from Eren, about the festival back in Marley. The speech of Willy Tybur held the secret. The vow of pacifism. That was it. Since Eren now was the host of the founding titan, he inherited a part of the will of the old king Reiss. The monarch had a deal with Marley, promising not to go to war with them. And now Eren was killing Marley soldiers. It was the only logical explanation. The old will of king, gaining power through paths, was battling Eren's consciousness and the bloodlust of the Attack titan. The three-way battle over the young mans mind was the reason why his mental state was decaying.

Arming groaned. This was much worse than he imagined. He didn't know how strongly the paths can influence Yeager's behavior, but if Levi's reports were correct, as they usually were, it was way more then he anticipated. And to add insult to injury, he lost contact with the only person who could stabilize him. Mikasa's squad got cut off by the enemy lines.

The last report he got from her was pointing out that their communication might be disrupted soon, as the Marley soldiers were trying their best to hold them in the forest, to prevent them from joining up with Levi's army. She still, by some miracle, managed to keep up her nightly raids, but Armin couldn't contact her. Not without risking that his messenger will be caught by the enemy. Seems like they will have to pray that Eren keeps his mind long enough to win this war for them. Shit.

Theo Magath felt awed by the sight of the massive walls in front of him. They were way higher then he imagined them to be. But they were finally here. The journey took the army another week, filled by clashes with the Eldian troops dogging them. The last night was surprisingly quiet, but the reason why was clear now. They simply passed the Marleyans in the darkness and took positions atop of the wall, prepared to defend it. The siege situation was far worse then he imagined it back home.

His artillery was almost completely wiped out, thanks to the Red Death and her flying squad, he lost way too many troops and the morale was below zero. From the airships, he had only one left and the titan tactic was obsolete, as long as the enemy held the power of the founding titan. But Magath was not defeated. He still had his shifters. Reiner was more than capable of bursting a hole in the wall, Zeke and Galliard could climb on top to assault the guards and Pieck could quickly bring soldiers to the breach.

But such attack was complicated and needed a perfect planning. So Magath once again ordered his men to fortify their defenses as he and his commanders took to the command tent to figure this out.

Levi was standing on top of the wall, looking down on the rows of Marley tents. They still had a lot of soldiers left. But he couldn't deny that the guerilla warfare was effective. They managed to kill about a half of the enemy army without having any significant losses on their side. But that would end now. He knew that Armin was decided not to let the enemy into the walls. Last night, they grouped with all his squads and retreated beyond the structure. Well, not all the army. Mikasa was still somewhere out with Sasha and their specialists, any sort of communication with her gone. Jean and Connie both brought their soldiers back, prepared to face the enemy head on. Because that was the next stage of the plan. The raids were done now. Marleyans found the wall. If they want to keep them out, they will have to face them on the field on battle in full. No hiding in the night this time. No retreats.

Eren was sitting, his legs dangling over the edge of the wall. Maybe he should be afraid of the fall. But he didn't really care. Was this even his own body? Maybe it belonged to someone else and he was just a guest in the head. So why should he care if he falls.

He grimaced as another spike of pain emerged in his mind. They were a new sensation, born of the undying conflict that raged there. The Attack titan clashing with the pacifist king, the echoes of their conflict giving him the most painful headaches he ever had. It was unbearable. Maybe he should just jump. But what would be the point. He couldn't die anyway.

Suddenly he noticed a knife in his hand. Where did he get it? He honestly could not remember picking it up. But there it was, sitting in his palm, glistening in the sun. He looked at it, pair of emerald green eyes staring back form the reflection. Maybe he could end it. All the suffering. He had a vague feeling that there were some people he was supposed to protect. Some people that cared about him, loved him perhaps. But his thoughts got disrupted as another mind tremor threatened to split his head open. He gritted his teeth. He can't go on like this.

"Eren! ", a familiar voice called.

He turned his head to see a short man in commanders uniform walking to him. Did he know who he was? No, this man was not from his time.

"Eren, ", continued the man as he neared, noticing the blade in his hands, "Why do you have the knife? "

"Have you ever wondered how a monster can be killed? ", he replied, looking down at the weapon, the next course of his actions clear. He was a monster. He fought those he promised not to. Every night the titan crushed their soldiers, his hands red with their blood. And he had a vague feeling that he once hurt even someone he cared about. The Attack titan roared, trying to fight back control over his host's mind. But Reiss managed to hold, raising the knife to his neck.

The short man's eyes went wide as he noticed.

"What are you doing? Eren? Eren! "

He looked the commander straight in the eyes.

"Do you know what separates men from monsters? Nothing. Men are just monsters who have not yet accepted the truth about themselves. "

And he stabbed himself right through the nape.


	24. Calm before the storm

Report #7

To: General Arlert  
From: Commander Ackerman

Sir, I believe we have reached a breaking point. I do not think I am able to fulfil the mission I was sent on. I cannot control Eren any longer, and should he turn against our own soldiers, I don't believe I can stop him. Last night I went to check up on him. I found him on top of the wall in a clearly deranged state, mumbling to himself. When I neared, I noticed that he had a knife in his hands. I tried talking to him to calm him down, but he didn't listen. And rammed the knife right into his neck. It was a clear pierce, starting from the nape and coming out in the front. I was frozen by shock, but he didn't seem to mind at all. Yeager pulled the knife out, and the mortal wound healed itself in a second. He murmured something about monsters, threw the blade over the edge and left.

I am writing you about this for a simple reason. I was supposed to be the last resort, meant to eliminate him in case he goes crazy. But that is no longer an option. If he can survive a straight cut through the neck, how am can I kill him? With Mikasa lost for now, I believe that all we can do is wait. And pray.

Levi put down the pen, sealed the message and summoned a courier to carry it. When the man left, he could finally slump down in his chair. The commander didn't fear titans. He didn't fear enemy soldiers. Hell, he didn't even fear shifters. But the empty look that he saw in Eren's eyes after he stabbed himself was a stuff of nightmares. His eyes were completely dead, lacking any human emotion. No pain, no surprise nothing. And tomorrow they were supposed to take on the Marley army with this madman as their best weapon.

He spent the night sitting on the bed, cleaning his blades and checking his gear for any faults. When the first rays of the morning sun shone through his windows, he rose and left the room to prepare. The top of the wall was already bustling with activity. The lifts were working hard, bringing soldiers and horses down on the ground. By general's decree they will face them head on. The lines were already forming, infantry moving forward with cavalry getting their mounts ready at the sides. Levi entered one lift, his head swimming with strategies when he noticed another person entering. It was Eren. His hands tightened its hold on the hilt of his sword on their own, his muscles straining. Yeager didn't seem to notice. He looked terrible. His eyes remained empty, with massive circles under them. Levi wondered when was the last time the shifter slept. He saw the commander but didn't acknowledge him, his gaze sliding past. Normally Levi would let him know what he thought about ignoring his superiors, but now was hardly the time.

The lift slowly rattled down the wall, finally dumping them on the grass. He left the confined space as quickly as possible, wanting to put some space between himself and the unstable shifter. He walked to his place near the frontlines in brisk pace, the soldiers saluting as he went past them. The sun was rising, the swords and guns shining, as he scanned the layout. The frontlines were made of the younger men, with the veterans mixed amongst them to hold the line. So, it was finally time to sacrifice them. They were meant to stop the enemy onslaught and soak as much fire as possible to buy time for the real soldiers to get close and lay into them. While both sides had guns, the plan was to close the distance as quickly as possible. The Eldians were way more skilled in close combat then Marley men, and they wanted to use the advantage as much as they could. He was suddenly roused by the voice of Armin.

"Commander Ackerman, slept well? "

It still felt somewhat weird to salute to the same boy he used to train, but rules were rules. So, he snapped a brisk salute before replying.

"Yes sir. Can I ask about our battle plan for today? "

Armin turned towards the enemy camp, shielding his eyes from the sun.

"We have to rush them. Their long-range weaponry is superior to ours, and even with most of their artillery disabled, god bless Mikasa, they will tear us apart if we let them. So, we send in our cavalry, the expendable frontlines and pray that we reach them in time. Levi, your part is taking out the enemy shifters. Focus on the beast, he is the most dangerous one. Assist Eren where you can, but don't get in his way. I don't want you to get squashed by accident. "

Armin didn't mention the report at all. Seems like he agreed that the best they can do is pray that Eren will keep his sanity today. He saluted again before making his way to the sidelines to find a horse. He will need one to get close to Marleyans as quickly as possible.

Eren was standing on his post, looking over the fields to the encampment. He watched it burst into activity as soldiers poured out of it, forming lines to meet the squads of Eldians. Inside his mind, the voices still whispered to him. They called him a monster, a degenerate, told him that he is not worthy to hold the powers he has. But he has learned to ignore them to some degree. His eye twitched as an extra ordinally strong spike of pain shot through his head.

Clenching his jaw, he watched the front lines of the Eldian army, seeing some faces that were familiar. Did he know them? He couldn't remember. There was a hollow feeling in his chest, like he was supposed to feel something for them. Regret perhaps? But honestly it didn't matter. Soon the order will come. Soon he will shift and let his mind go blank, letting the Attack titan take control. He was looking forward to it. Once shifted, he will feel no pain, his mind won't be a battlefield, the paths will finally be silent for a moment.

He turned his face to the sun, closing his eyes and letting the light shine upon him. It brought back some memory of laying down on the hill, being roused from his sleep by a girl. What was her name? Mikasa? He smiled, it was a nice name, whoever she was.

The sound of trumpet cut the air, signaling the beginning of the charge.

Time to kill.


	25. Blood on the battlefield

The ground shook as the Eldian cavalry charged the Marley lines. They managed to be only half-formed, confusion ripping them to pieces. But they were no beginners. After a few angry barks from officers they made something resembling combat posture, aiming their guns towards the mass of horseflesh. It was up to Magath to give the final order.

"Fire! ", he shouted, and the air was ripped by the sound of hundreds of rifles.

Number of the riders fell, just to be trampled by those who were behind them. Unfortunate problem of the cavalry. But the rest of them rode on. Another volley was fired, and more men died, and then they were upon them. The flimsy barricade made of bayonets was swept aside like a leaf in a river. The screams of pain mixed with the neighing of the horses as they cut their way through the footmen. Magath chuckled. It was going exactly as Zeke predicted. And they had a plan ready to go.

With a roar, his warriors shifted on different places of the battlefield, strategically picked to support their lines of infantry men. The Marleyans clumped to them, horses screaming in fear as the titans started tearing them apart. At the same moment Pieck busted through the camp wall in her cart titan form with a full battle gear strapped to her back. The cannons opened fire, tearing bleeding holes in the bodies of the Eldian riders.

Jean didn't waste any more time. They accomplished their goal. Grabbing a whistle hanging around his neck, he sounded the retreat, turning his horse around and running back to the wall. They bought the time. Now it was up to other guys. He squinted his eyes towards the moving frontline of their troops, trying to locate his shifter friend among them. But he didn't see him.

"Tear them apart Eren, "he gritted through his teeth.

As the dust cleared from the running cavalry, Magath was greeted by the sign of quickly approaching lines of Eldian infantry. Before his troops could line again, the guns sounded from the enemy, cutting down number of his soldiers. And then the titans attacked. Zeke squeezed a boulder in his fist, creating a gravel and throwing it into the enemy squads. The guns on Pieck's back started shooting, claiming more lives. But they kept advancing.

When the two armies clashed, it sounded like the end of the world. Screams, fountains of blood, cut limbs and more and more wounded crawling on the battlefield. And in the middle of it, the Attack titan appeared. He rose to his full height on fifteen meters, roaring towards the sky. His body quickly covered the critical parts with black hardening armor, granting him additional layer of protection. And then he smashed his fists into the screaming mass of Marley men.

Blood. There was blood everywhere. Eren didn't see much. He was like a backseat passenger in his own head. The titan consumed every piece of his mind, laying into the enemy with the rage of a berserk. The tiny figures of the enemy combatants were crying in fear, trying to get away from him. But he didn't let them. Stomping the grown men like ants, the ground itself shook with the power of his blows. Some of the few remaining artillery units tried targeting him, but it did nothing. The shells either hit his armor, inflicting no damage, or tore out chunks of his flesh for it to be regenerated in a few seconds.

No, this was not enough. The titan didn't want this. This was a massacre. He wanted a challenge, a fight. He cried out his disappointment to the heaven, crushing a few more of the tiny soldiers. And the he spotted him. Towering amongst the lines, there was a worthy adversary. The seventeen meters tall ape, the beast titan. The Attack titan roared his challenge, preparing to charge him. But he was suddenly pounced from behind by something large. The massive jaw of Galliard locked around his nape, trying to crush the human body hidden there. But that part of him was the most armored one. The massive teeth scraped uselessly against the layers of hardening. He reached to his back, grabbing the enemy and smashing him against the ground. But before he could follow up with a devastating punch, massive boulder hit him square into the face. He stumbled backwards, dazed, just to be attacked by a volley of the cannons mounted of the cart titan. The shots managed to take out his eyes. Blind, he covered his face with his hands, waiting for his sight to regenerate. The moment it did, he was rammed by Reiner.

The massive battering force used in the past to tear down the wall sent him flying backwards, hitting the ground. But he was not as weak as he used to be. Steeling himself, he dug his heels into the ground, stopping the enemy charge. His hands sneaked around the torso of the armored titan, and he squeezed with all his strength. The armor protecting Reiner's torso cracked, leaking blood and steam. Before he could continue, the Jaw jumped him again. Attacking like a hound, he tried biting out Eren's neck. Attack titan was however quick enough to put a hand in front, and the massive mouth locked around a forearm instead. The force of the jump was strong enough to pull him to the ground, and he fell, letting go of Reiner. He wrestled with Galliard, managing to free the other hand and delivering a massive punch into his face. The faceplate broke under the force of it, and the Jaw backed off, hissing. Eren stood, taking a stance learned from Annie, preparing himself to continue the battle. But before anyone could do anything, the enemy camp exploded.

It was Armin, of course. In the heat of the battle he managed to sneak behind the lines, and now he transformed. The massive explosion and the heatwave of steam immediately erased the lives of hundreds of Marley troops. The remaining men run on the field, disoriented, being picked of by Eldians. Magath couldn't believe it. After all this time, all those preparation, he would lose. The bitter taste of defeat appeared in his mouth, and he spat, hoping to erase it. There was only one way to go now. The last remaining airship was hidden away, prepared to carry them back to Marley on moments notice. But this was the end of his dreams. He won't be the conqueror of the devils. He will be a laughing stock of the others, most likely demoted or even imprisoned for his actions. He was prepared to accept this. It was better than letting all his men die here. But before he could give the order to sound the retreat, a lot of things happened at once.

Firstly, several massive spikes appeared from the ground, puncturing the colossal titan and pinning him in place. Next, a giant carrying a hammer rose on the horizon accompanied by squads of soldiers in Marley colors. Magath could not believe his eyes. Lady Tybur was here. And she brought reinforcements. He grinned, feeling the tears of relief in his eyes. The tide was turning.

Armin wasted no time in dissolving his body and getting on the ground, joining his soldiers and ordering a quick call to retreat. They were not prepared for this. As he rode back to the wall, the newly brought enemy artillery started shooting, tearing holes in the now confused mass of Eldian troops. The cries of victory turned into cries of terror, as they started running back to where they came.

The Attack titan didn't understand what was happening. His friend the colossal appeared for a brief moment before being stabbed through by giant spikes appearing out of thin air. Now his side was getting bombarded by cannons, and his allies were running for their lives. He grumbled in discomfort. And then he saw her. His nemesis. The Warhammer. His blood boiled, and his muscles tensed. He was ready to take her on now, to undo the humiliating defeat he suffered from her hands in the past. But the reasonable part of his brain called for attention. There was no way he can win with four other shifters still standing in his path. The Attack titan was bloodthirsty, but he was not stupid. So, he turned and retreated. He will get his revenge one day. Just not today.

Levi watched his lines flow around him, gritting his teeth. Zeke was so close. He could see the almost smug smile on the giant ape face, as he threw rocks at the running Eldians. No, he will not let him get away again. For Erwin. The commander kicked his horse into motion, making beeline for the hairy giant. Lost in his amusement, he didn't spot him. Not before the gear brought him up to face the monster. The fear that flashed in his eyes might have been funny for another man, but it only fueled Levi's rage. The beast reached out, trying to swat the man from the sky. And felt the blades go through his flesh in a second. Fingers fell off, followed by whole forearm as Levi flew straight for the nape. The hardening was once again too late.

Zeke screamed in pain as he was cut out of the neck. The giant body of his titan collapsed. And as in the past, he was staring into the dark eyes of the vengeful Ackerman. He rammed his blade right into the older Yeager's mouth. And then he looked around. He was surrounded. The Eldians retreated to the wall. Marley soldiers were all around him, watching him with a mix of awe and fear. The shifters were also present. Reiner, Galliard, Pieck and even Warhammer were standing near. He could bargain for his life with Zeke's. He could try to cut some deal. But he spent too long fantasizing about finally being able to get his hands-on Erwin's murderer. Fuck it. Commander Levi Ackerman cut, and his blade was true, severing Zeke Yeager's head from his body in a single swing.

The short man closed his eyes. Feeling tears flowing down his cheeks. This was for you, Erwin.

Now I can die in piece.

All around him, the Marley troops jumped to action.


	26. Choices and consequences

General Magath stood over the open grave with his hat in hands, head bowed. In the hole lay a man he respected. The one Eldian he might call a friend. He was surrounded by a few other officers who came to say their farewells to the shifter. Reiner, Pieck and Galliard were in attendance. Lady Tybur stood right next to Magath, wearing a simple black dress. Why she came into a war dressed like that was a mystery, but its not like her clothing mattered. She fought in her titan form, not on foot. Feeling like he should say some words, Magath coughed to clear his throat and stepped forward.

"Zeke Yeager was a good man. Born Eldian, he overcame his devilish nature as a child by reporting his parents who were part of the resistance. He served our great nation faithfully. First as a soldier, and after he was selected as a warrior, a titan shifter. I knew him ever since his childhood. I helped shaping him into the fine man he was. I do not truly know if he considered me a friend, but he was one to me. Goodbye, and may you find eternal piece. ", Magath looked up on the assembly, raising his voice, "But I want everyone to know that his death will not be in vain. We will finish this mission we set out to do. We will eradicate the devils in the walls and we will bring the usurper Eren Yeager to justice! "

All around him, soldiers started to cheer, their voices resonating in the air.

"Take the rest of the day off, bury our dead, and prepare yourselves. Because tomorrow, we breach the giant structure that protects those monsters and we will bring the fires of hell upon them! "

Magath looked down for the last time, watching the body of the murdered shifter. His head was stitched back to his neck, to give him some sign of dignity. It still looked out of place. Goodbye, old friend. I will miss you. The general turned around and left. Behind him, the soldiers started shoveling dirt to cover the grave.

The losses were great, there was no doubting it. Almost all the men he brought with himself were dead, laying in rows of unmarked holes on the field. The Eldian bodies were dragged into a mass grave and hastily covered, to prevent the spreading of diseases. The dead were in the past, now he had to focus on the future. Lady Tybur brought a good number of soldiers with her, refilling his ranks. He still wasn't as strong as he used to be, but it was far better then being defeated and running back to Marley with his tail between his legs. She also came with several artillery teams, trained in anti-titan combat. And he still had most of his shifters.

The devils had to be weakened as well. The battle took grievous losses on both sides, the field was littered with bodies and holes from cannon shells. And they lost one of the Ackermans. Magath scowled. He could hardly believe it when his men dragged the short commander to him, claiming he single handedly killed Zeke and many soldiers trying to capture him. They only managed to subdue the Eldian after one of his blades broke. His face was beaten, a proof that the troops held no respect for a murderer. But the general recognized him. Levi Ackerman, one of the genetically enhanced super soldiers. Now in his hands. He came on the island with a certain plan in his head, regarding Ackermans. Time to see if it works.

He made his way to the tent of the research crew, Tybur right behind him. The scientists made their camp far from the main army, to prevent being attacked by the nightly raids of the Red Death. It also saved them when the colossal titan turned the encampment into a steaming pile of rubble. Now they had the chance to prove their worth. One of the projects they worked on, and was paid from Magath's pockets, was an Ackerman subduing plan. He prayed that it works.

The general entered the tent, noticing the chair standing in the middle of it, with Levi strapped to it by multiple leather belts. It prevented any sort of movement, holding him down by every part of his body. Only his face was free, eyes open. The rest of the space was filled with men in white coats working chemical solutions, running several experiments at once. They were hard pressed for results. The chief scientist took note of the newcomers, approaching Magath with a smile on his face.

"General! So good you made it. ", he said.

"Cut the pleasantries. Is it ready? ", asked Magath, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice.

"Yes sir, we are ready for the injection. "

"Have it prepared at once, I do not wish to waste any more time. ", ordered the general.

The white coated man saluted and made his way to one of the stations, preparing an injection filled with a dark liquid. Meanwhile, Magath slowly walked up to the chair, watching the captured Ackerman. The prisoner met his gaze with his own, eyes not flinching. There was no fear in them. Only cold hate.

"I hope you are comfortable commander, this next part is said to be quite unpleasant. "

"You want to kill me? ", the short man asked, his voice not wavering for a second.

"Oh please, that would be waste of such a good resource. But since you asked, I believe I can tell you a few details. Do you know what you are? "

"A human? "

"Not entirely. You are a by product of the titan experiments we ran at Marley back in the days. The goal was to create a perfect soldier, stronger and a faster then any other man with unwavering loyalty to his master. The success was only partial. We managed to enhance the physical capabilities of the test subjects, but the loyalty part was a problem. It never truly worked. In the end, the project was shut down and the enhanced ones were to be eliminated. But few of them escaped. They ended up in different parts of the world, hiding from us. In time they married, had kids and passed their genes down to their descendants. And you are one of them. "

He didn't blink, not even once. His dark eyes bore into Magath's skull.

"You didn't answer my question. What do you plan to do with me? "

"Ah, but that is the best part. I was getting to it. You see, we didn't manage to create a thing of obedience for the soldiers, but they were not untouched either. They developed a special thing of their own. When one of them found someone they deemed worthy, whatever it was a friend, a superior or a lover, they created a connection to them. A certain bond, if you will, that connected them to the person. It made them stronger when they were around said person. And they would do anything to protect them. You had such bond didn't you. To the late commander of the corps. What was his name, Erin? "

"Erwin. Commander Erwin Smith. And you will not talk bad about him, or I will break out of these cuffs and tear your throat out. "

The sheer hostility of the words combined with the cold tone of his voice made Magath stagger back. He felt sweat on his brow. So, this is the Ackerman power. A tiny man, tied to a chair and at his mercy still made his heart drop just by uttering a few words. Terrifying. And so fascinating.

"My apologies. Erwin Smith. You felt this connection to him. I am sorry that he died, it must have been terrible for you. "

"It used to pain me, but now its gone. I have avenged him. "

"So you did. And the act brought you to my hands. We will see who will benefit more from such exchange in the end. But back to the topic. The other Ackerman, Mikasa, has also bonded. Her choice, according to my sources, is the usurper himself, Eren Yeager. A lovely couple, aren't they. A titan shifter and an Ackerman. Now what was I talking about. Ah yes. So, the bond is a peculiar thing. We have partly created it, and after some digging, we found out enough material to make some work. And the fine men you see around you have done exactly the thing that our ancestors could not. "

The chief scientist came forward, the syringe in his hand. Magath felt a tingle of anticipation run down his spine.

"A complete and total obedience. This new serum is only effective on an Ackerman. It working is only a presumption, since we had no subject of our own to test it on. But the formulas check out. "

On a nod from the general, the man in white coat bend and stabbed the syringe into Levi's arm. The commander groaned, pain shooting through his veins as the black liquid mixed into his system. And Magath was still talking.

"This dose is mixed with a drop of my blood, so you will be bound to me. And you will carry out every one of my orders to the best of your considerable ability. "

The cursed substance reached his heart now, and Levi felt a spike of pure agony wreck through his whole body. He screamed, his jaw clenching against the pain.

"And you will fight, Ackerman. You will fight for us now. You will kill those devils you used to call friends. You will protect me with your own life, because that is your purpose now. "

The serum finished its work, and Levi slumped in the chair, his chest heaving. After a quick order the straps were loosened, and he fell to his knees. He looked up, seeing the leader of the enemy forces, the man indirectly responsible for Erwin's murder, the man he hated more than anything. He put his whole will behind a single motion. To stand up and hit him in the neck, crushing his wind pipe and killing him. His fists balled, and his muscles tensed, ready to spring to action.

And he remained kneeling, not able to move at all.

Magath looked down on his newest soldier, feeling pride blooming in his chest.

"We will accomplish great things together Levi. "

Time to let Eldians have a taste of their own weapon.


	27. Down but not defeated

Armin was very frustrated. Sitting in the command tent of the Eldian army, surrounded by other officers with several reports in front of him, he saw the situation as it was. A nightmare. They started out bad, slowly worked their situation to good and now everything was a shithole again. The last confrontation that was supposed to scatter the enemy and chase them out of Paradis instead turned into a slaughterhouse. Sure, they expected certain losses, but not on this scale. Half the infantry was wiped out, the cavalry took considerable hits and to top it off they lost Levi.

Armin still couldn't wrap his head around it. According to witnesses, the commander simply charged the beast titan while the rest of the army was in full retreat. He had to know that it was futile, but he did it anyway. So now one of the Ackermans was dead or captured and the other one was still somewhere on the other side of the enemy army. They didn't get any sort of message from Mikasa and Sasha and were unable to send a messenger of their own.

Armin looked up from the papers, taking in the rest of the group. Eren was sitting as far from others as he could, for once not talking to himself. He looked terrible. Eyes focused onto something only he could see, dark circles under them. Jean had bloodshot gaze, a result of raiding the supply of booze no doubt, swaying slightly on his feet. Connie looked as professional as usual, but even he bore the signs of exhaustion. Hange and Historia were the only ones present who didn't take part in the battle.

The goal now was to retreat beyond the wall Rose and once again repeat the strategy they used before. Dogging the advancing Marleyans with guerrilla warfare and raids, thinning their numbers before another larger battle at the wall. But now it was way more complicated. Firstly, they had to evacuate civilians living in the path of the army. Armin already dispatched a number of messengers to warn them, protecting Eldian lives was why they fought in the first place. Losing contact with Mikasa also meant that their most elite group of troops would act unorganized with the rest. And they had to consider the Warhammer now.

With Eren's mental state still in question and Mikasa and Levi gone they had no way of dealing with her. It was one hell of a problem.

"What's the status general? "

Armin's grim thoughts were interrupted by the queen's question.

"I'm going to be honest, it is not good. But I believe we can pull this off if we act quickly. ", he cleared his throat, "I would like to discuss a few points and draw a new battle plan to use in the following part of the war. "

He looked down at the paper he prepared immediately after their defeat, where he wrote a few thoughts from the top of his head.

"First question is the special operation squad. Do we try to contact them? Mikasa, Sasha and their elite men and women would be invaluable to have, especially now. "

Eren seemed to perk up a bit upon hearing his lover's name, but then he shook his head and continued staring at the ground. And he started muttering to himself again.

Historia was the one to reply: "We have no idea where they are at the moment, and we cannot waste resources trying to find them. As much as it pains me to say it, they are on their own. "

Armin nodded, not expecting anything different.

"As you say your highness. The second point is regarding the new titan our enemy acquired. Eren, can you handle her now? You have to tell us. "

He looked up, an alien light shining in his eyes, his mouth curled up into an evil smile. It was a scary sight.

"The Warhammer, yes. We want to fight her. We need to taste her blood, we need to wash the shame of our defeat with her screams of pain. But she is not alone, no. She fears us. She knows what we can do now. ", he clenched his hands into fists, and his smile turned into a snarl, baring his teeth, "She will hide behind the others. The slow one and the fast one, and the one walking on all four. We can't take them all on. Not yet anyway. "

So Eren is talking in plural about himself now. Great. And he can't solve their titan problems on his own. Armin furrowed his brow, he had to find a way to somehow assist him. He could always transform, but as the Warhammer showed yesterday, she has no trouble incapacitating him with a few well-placed spikes. Maybe he could try sneaking close and use the explosive power of his shifting to take some of them out. But that would put him in the middle of the enemy and he didn't want that.

"Eren, do you... "

He was interrupted by a messenger entering the tent in a rush.

"Your highness, general, they came, they are here! "

Armin frowned, "Who is here? "

"The special squad sir! They managed to find a way through the enemy lines! "

The whole tent scrambled to their feet and out, to see the miracle with their own eyes. Even Eren looked excited. And they were really there. Mikasa and Sasha, with the surviving members of the special operations. They also lost lives. All together there were about a fifty men and women, all looking on the edge of falling over from exhaustion. Their uniforms were torn and bloodied, their eyes restless, horrors of the war written all over them. But they were alive, and they were here. This was the first good news Armin got ever since the Warhammer appeared.

Connie ran to Sasha, hugging her and spinning her around with joy. Other soldiers came and greeted their friends. Some looked, and after seeing that the ones they were looking for are gone, left to be alone with their grief. But there was one person whose reaction Armin was the most excited to see.

Eren was walking towards his fiancé slowly, like he still couldn't quite believe it. When he got to her, he reached out with his hand and caressed her cheek, his eyes never leaving her face. She said something to him and smiled, and as she did, all the tightness, the fear and the look of deranged mind melted from his face. His eyes filled with tears and his lower lip trembled, pure emotion taking over. Before anything else could happen, he picked her up, carrying her bridal style back to his tent while she buried her face in his neck her own muscles loosening. Arming smiled as he looked at the two, feeling that maybe they have a chance to turn this around after all.

But the war is far from over.


	28. Against all odds

The whole world seemed to stop when he saw her. The voices in his head going silent, the pain which became an unwelcome companion during all of his waking hours, threatening to rip his skull apart, vanishing. He didn't see anyone else from the returning soldiers, he couldn't. His vision focused only on the Asian woman in black uniform. He wasn't even sure he knew her, his memories still flying around and mixing in the paths, but he felt something like a magnetic pull towards her, a gravity he could not deny. And he let himself be pulled, slowly walking up to her.

She spotted him, her eyes going wide. Was it fear, did he scare her? Maybe he hurt her in the past and discarded the memory of it. But then a smile spread on her face, and he felt himself melt. The simple gesture was filled with such overwhelming love and affection that his whole body seemed to heat up, his heart thawing. He reached out, carefully touching her face, caressing her cheek. He was afraid that she is going to disappear, shatter under his touch like all good things lately.

But she didn't. Instead the smile grew even brighter as she leaned into the touch, closing her eyes. Eren furrowed his brow, his thumb tracing the scar under her eye. It felt so familiar, like he already saw it, touched it before. Mikasa opened her eyes into his, taking in his face. He didn't look very well. It must be the war, she thought to herself, it takes toll on all of us. His eyes held a significant amount of confusion in them as he gazed at her.

"Eren, are you, all right? You look worried. ", she said as she covered his hand with hers.

Her voice. The angelic sound combined with the familiar feel of her finally managed to break the barrier in his mind. He was flooded with memories that belonged to him, and he was hungrily reclaiming them. The night he told her he loved her. The birth of their daughter. Their last night together. It all came back in a wave, overwhelming him, tears springing into his eyes. This was too much. He needed to talk to her alone. Mikasa's expression became worried when she saw them, but before she could ask why was he crying, he bent to pick her up, carrying her back into his tent for some privacy. She didn't protest, instead relaxing and burying her face into his neck with a sigh.

Suddenly he heard her chuckle as she drew back, her nose wrinkled.

"Eren, I hate to break the moment, but you stink. ", she said, laughing.

The sound of her laughter seemed to warm him inside out, the coldness that took nest in his chest during the past weeks being burned away. He nodded absently, realizing that he couldn't even remember the last time he washed. And judging from the state of her clothing and the dirt on her face, Mikasa wasn't having luxurious baths either. He made a short stop in his tent to pick up some soap, and not letting her down, carried the girl to a nearby lake. It was far enough that they wouldn't be disturbed, especially considering the late hour.

Upon reaching the water, he carefully set her down, immediately growing concerned when he saw her wince.

"Mikasa, what's wrong? ", he asked, trying to keep the worry out of his voice.

"It's nothing, a new wound. ", she smiled at him, "Soon it will be just another piece from my collection of scars. "

He frowned upon hearing it. It felt unfair sometimes. His body was pristine, any damage he suffered healing in matter of seconds. She on the other hand had a growing number of souvenirs from the battles. It didn't make her less perfect in his eyes, but he worried about her health.

"Let me see, please. ", he requested, starting to undo the straps of her uniform.

She complied, helping him strip her of the battle gear. As more of her body came into view, he could see the traces left behind by their enemies. His memories kept coming back, he realized he knows her body better than his own. There were scars he already saw, those which he kissed in the past hundred times over. And there were new ones he didn't see before, those made his temper flare up. He wanted to climb over the wall and personally tear out the throats of those who did this. The Attack titan woke in his head upon feeling the bloodlust, grumbling in agreement. Mikasa must have sensed the darkening in the mood, because she put her hand on Eren's chin and angled his head to look into her eyes.

"No need to frown so much, those who hurt me are long dead. I killed them myself. "

He nodded, his cloudy mood improving a bit. It felt good knowing that she avenged herself. But the scars remained. There was a new one on her shoulder, judging from the shape a bullet wound. Another sat down on the abdomen, a cut this time, marking the pale skin. A newer cut was also the cause of her earlier pain, located on outer thigh. When he peeled back the bandages he could see that it was not bleeding anymore, but it was fresh. Mikasa also sported several new bruises, each one standing out. Now was not the time to be angry. He ignored the rumbling titan as he quickly stripped and helped her to the water. Now was no time for violent thoughts.

Eren started washing her, taking special care around the bruised areas not to put too much pressure on those. He knew that Mikasa was more then capable of bathing on her own, yet he felt a pressing need to do this. Every time he touched her naked skin, more memories sprang into his head, remembering her, remembering them. It felt so fucking good. And she understood, she always did.

"You are still dirty. ", she told him as he finished. She was right, as usual. But before he could say or do anything, Mikasa tackled him, their bodies hitting the water surface and submerging. When he got his head back above, she was laughing, her eyes twinkling with amusement, and he couldn't keep a smile off his face either. Closing the distance, he carefully wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body into his.

"I am glad we are not dirty anymore. ", she said, still smiling.

He frowned. "Why is that? "

"Because now I can do this. "

She kissed him, the familiarity of her lips on his further setting in stone his own mind, stanching the memory flow of paths. It also sparkled a fire in his stomach, feelings of desire and want he didn't know he was capable of having. She must have felt his physical excitement poking her under water, because she drew back. Eren expected her to scold him in some way, after all now was hardly the time for such things. The army was out of view, but very close, and in any second, they could be needed again. But she did no such thing. Instead he felt her hand reach down and run over his length, pulling a groan from his lips.

"Mikasa, what are you doing, we can't. "

She looked up, her eyes dark and very mischievous.

"Why not? "

"We have to… I mean we can… Anyone could… ", his mind was not working properly, because her hand didn't stop the underwater movements, making formulating a sentence an ability beyond his level.

She drew close, whispering in his ear.

"When has it ever stopped us before. "

And just like that, he was gone. Throwing any sort of sensibility out of the window, he lunged in to kiss her hungrily, the flame in his stomach growing into an inferno. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he carried her back the shallower water, not wanting to drown them after all. Mikasa wiggled her hips into his, making him reach down with his own hand, to touch her core….

And stop immediately when she hissed in pain.

"I'm sorry, keep going, please. ", she pleaded, but he was having none of it, drawing back.

"You are hurt, you have bruises on your ribs, we can't do this. "

"We can, just be careful. ", she insisted, pouting.

"Mikasa please, I don't want to hurt you, I… ", he was saying as he tried letting go of her, so they could go back to the shore.

Suddenly he noticed tears in her eyes as she shook her head, clutching closer to him, her nails digging into his shoulders.

"Eren, please, I want this, I need this. You don't know how many close calls we had no the other side, how many times I thought I will never see you again, never touch you again. ", she was crying openly now, the tears flowing down her cheeks freely. "I dreamt about seeing you, about us being together. I need you to make love to me, please. I need to feel something nice again, not just killing and bloodbaths filling every fucking day and night. "

It tore his heart seeing her like this, the pain much worse than anything physical. He remembered that she was the cold one, always keeping her composure. But now she didn't want to be strong. She didn't want to be a perfect soldier, a nightmare of the Marley army, the Red Death that claimed uncountable lives every raid. She just wanted to a be a woman, crying because she didn't get to see her love for so long. He had to do this for her, she deserved it hundred times over.

"Mikasa please, don't cry. ", he whispered, peppering kisses on her neck and face. "We can do it, you just have to tell me if it hurts and I will stop, okay? "

She nodded, sniffing and leaned in for a kiss which he gladly gave her. She tasted salty, lips wet from tears. Her legs still wrapped around his waist, he gently laid her down on the shore line, the water rippling around them. Lining himself up, he sealed her lips again with a kiss and pushed in, groaning into her mouth. This feeling, how could he ever forget it. It felt so perfect, so right, them fitting together perfectly like they were made for each other. He was brought back to reality by a pained gasp from her lips. His eyes shot up to her face, seeing her jaw clenched as she fought against the discomfort. But her legs remained locked around his hips, not letting him pull away.

"Eren, move. But slowly please. ", she told him, her voice wavering a bit.

He nodded and followed her wish, slowly beginning their familiar dance. Mikasa's face was growing more and more relaxed, pain flowing away and being replaced by pleasure. Eren continued in unhurried pace, reaching down with one hand and pressing it to her weak point, rubbing the tiny bud that had such a magical effect on her body. Contrary to his tempo, she felt her orgasm building up rather quickly, his skill in pleasuring her mixing with the amazing feeling of being together again, despite all the odds. The stars exploded behind her eyes as her whole body shook, her back arching and a scream of his name ripping from her throat. Feeling her release, he let himself go as well, muffling the noise on the skin of her neck.

Exhausted, they laid next to each other in the water, watching the night sky. The moon was bright, shining down on them, giving the scene a faerie feeling. As the silence stretched, their breathing going back to normal, Eren turned his head to look at her. She was so incredibly beautiful bathed in the moonlight, more like a painting then a living woman. But she was one and wounded on top of it. So, he forced his mind back to reality.

"You want to get out of the water? Its pretty late. "

She didn't look at him, instead reaching out and taking his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers.

"In a moment. Let's just relax a little longer. "

"All right. But just a few minutes. "

Like he could ever say no to her.


	29. The king's proposition

Eren blinked his eyes open into the sun, squinting against the piercing rays. Now this was peculiar. Last thing her remembered was squeezing into his tight military bunk with Mikasa and saying good nights to each other, feeling like he could sleep for a century. They hardly even fit, laying together, but neither of the minded. They were used to it. And Eren would rather sleep on the ground with her than alone in a luxurious bed. He still had no idea what was happening, how did he get here, until he heard a familiar voice he very quickly learned to hate.

"You think you deserve this? Her coming back to you? ", said the figure standing close to him, dressed in a rich robe with a crown on its head. The old king, Reiss.

So, this must be a dream. Eren felt a weight fall of his shoulders. He was no stranger to nightmares. Whatever the monarch wanted to throw at him, he could handle it. Taking a look around, he noticed that they are standing on top of a wall. On both sides were endless grass plains, stretching as far as he could see. And there was another figure standing in the shadow of the giant structure, looking up. The Attack titan. This felt weird, not like a dream, but not like a reality either. Well, there was only one person he could talk to.

"Where are we? ", he asked Reiss, pointedly ignoring his questions.

The old man snorted at his arrogance before replying.

"We are where we have always been. Inside your mind. "

"That doesn't really answer my question. "

"And what does? You want to know if this is a dream? Not entirely. Your body sleeps, but I have taken your consciousness here to talk. "

Eren turned away from the old man, looking down on the giant figure. The titan returned his gaze without flinching.

"You presume too much. I don't want to talk to you. "

"Oh, but you should reconsider that statement. I know a lot of things you might find useful. "

Letting his rage get better of him once again, he grabbed the other man by the collar of his robe, growling right into his face.

"Maybe I don't give a fuck what you know. Did you think that you will take me here and we will be friends? You are the reason why I was going fucking crazy in the past weeks. You were the one washing away my memories by paths. You were the reason why I couldn't even remember my fiancé or daughter. And to top it off, you tried to kill me with a knife to my fucking nape! "

King didn't look worried, merely aching an eyebrow on his violent outburst, patiently waiting for it to finish. He looked completely unconcerned. So Eren threw him off the wall. But before he could hit the ground, his body dissipated to appear back on its original spot, few steps from Eren.

"Did you really think you can hurt me inside your head? Look at me. I am wearing a stupid robe and a crown. We are simply projections here, we cannot do any harm to each other. "

Of course, he knew that he couldn't really do anything here. It still felt good though. But the king was not done with his speech.

"So, if we moved past this, maybe we can talk. "

Eren sighed. Sometimes it was simply better to parley. Even with your enemies.

"All right, lets talk. But I will be asking questions first. "

The ruler nodded, gesturing for him to go ahead.

"What are you? What is that? ", he asked as he pointed on the titan, "Why did you try to kill me? Why, out of all the people in the paths, are you the only one here? "

"I can answer your first and last question with a single point. The others, everyone else but me, they are simply memories. They join the paths, live their lives, and in the end, add their part to the flow. But me, I didn't simply live with my founding power. I used it to make a powerful promise. The oath of pacifism. This will of mine has bound every single heir of my power. So that's what I am, a manifestation of the will, the oath. For others, I simply watched, because they followed the promise. But you broke it, so I was forced to act. Yes, I tried to kill you, to break your mind, to make you unable to fight anymore. But you survived it all. That's when I decided that maybe we could try talking this out instead of fighting inside your head. "

Eren was slowly processing the information flow, staring into the distance.

"You didn't answer one of my questions. "

The king walked the few steps to stand next to him, staring down at the giant.

"Ah yes, this fellow. He is the only reason you are alive and sane. "

Eren looked up, puzzled.

"What do you mean? "

"He protected you, as fiercely as a hound. Or an Ackerman. He evolved your mind just enough, so I was not able to completely rip it apart. Same goes for the neck wound, the acceleration of your healing abilities is his doing. "

"Why would he do that? "

"I don't know. I met with a few holders of the Attack titan, some in my life, some in the lifetimes of others. But he was never acting like this before. Perhaps it's the union of me and him in the same host. The greatest oppressor of his own people locked in the same mind with the one who always fights for freedom. Ironic. "

The king captured Eren's gaze, growing more serious.

"Now if you have no more questions, I have a proposition for you. "

"Let's hear it. "

"It is clear that the two of us can hardly coexist if you will try and continue battling those I swore to defend. So, I came up with a solution. I will grant you enough power over coordinate to be able to free and control some of the colossal titans inside the walls. Using those, your queen will strongarm the invaders to get off your island and make an oath never to return. In exchange for this, you will never engage another Marley citizen of ally in a combat. You will live the rest of your few years with your family, and after the curse of Ymir claims you, the Founding and the Attack titan will part ways to find new hosts through the paths. "

And there it was. The proposition. The king was offering him the end of the war. The chance to spend his remaining days with the people he loved, without a fear of enemy. He heard the titan grumble on the ground, clearly not happy with the terms. He was a creature of conflict, craving a bloodshed. Peace would choke him. Eren grinned. He can't let that happen to his friend.

"Fuck no. "

The king's eyebrows shoot up, surprise clear on his face.

"What do you mean no? I am offering you everything you could ever ask for. A peace. "

The shifter shook his head.

"You are offering a short-term solution. Doesn't matter what kind of promise they give, Marley will come back. As soon as I die, they would swarm the island, killing us for good. "

He gestured around himself.

"You know what I think? All this? You are doing it because you are scared. "

"I am not… "

But Eren interrupted him.

"You are terrified because she came back. I don't have any idea how it works, but with Mikasa around, I feel whole. You have no power over me, sometimes I can even ignore your voice completely. "

He looked straight at the old man, his gaze holding nothing but contempt.

"So, no, I won't make any deals with you. We will win this war on our own, and I will learn to suppress you to some dark corner of my mind, never hearing your voice again. Goodbye, Reiss. "

Saying that, his projection rippled and disappeared. The king stared into the place where he stood for a time, before he was interrupted by rumbling from the giant, which sounded dangerously close to laughter.

Eren opened his eyes to the morning sun, Mikasa still sleeping on top of him, his head feeling lighter then it had ever since the start of the war. The information he got were useful, but the piece he valued most was the part about the Attack titan. So, he was protecting him. He closed his eyes, feeling the bloodthirsty titanic presence in the back of his mind, smiling. Soon, we will sate that lust my friend.

His revenge on the Warhammer was just around the corner.


	30. Breaking the wall

This was the worst fucking nightmare in Levi's life. Standing right next to the enemy military commander, watching his army preparing to break down the giant wall Maria, while being fully armed and armored up with the dimensional gear. He could slice the bastards throat be gone before anyone could react. And he couldn't do anything about it. He was fully conscious, feeling and seeing everything, but his body simply didn't obey him. Magath gave him the order to stand and be quiet, and he followed that command to the letter. Whatever was in the fucking syringe he got injected with, it was working perfectly.

Ever since the events in the science tent he was forced to listen to every one of the general's orders without question. His body simply jumped to action on its own. He fought against it, strained his muscles as much as he could against the invisible ropes, but it was no use. All his legendary might was useless when his own mind was his enemy.

So, he stood, right next the man he longed to kill, and watched the army ranks open to make way for Reiner. He felt a wave of anger hit him. The fucking traitor. His hate for Reiner was deep, forged from the time of his infiltration and subsequential betrayal of the corps still pained him, even after all these years. But his old comrade didn't seem to notice him. The blond saluted towards the command platform before pulling out a knife and slashing his hand. The transformation which followed was accompanied by the customary lightning and sound of explosion. The Armored titan than faced the wall and charged. His weight thrown against the construction. The bricks cracked, but surprisingly held. He stumbled backwards. A wave of murmuring ran through the crowds. Levi wanted to grin but couldn't. Whatever was going on with Reiner, he defiantly didn't seem in his top form. Which was good, because he was very high on Levi's kill list.

"Weak. "

Turning his head apparently wasn't violating his orders, because he was allowed to do it. He saw that lady Tybur was the one uttering those words, clear disappointment written in her face. She was another one of his would-be targets, once he figures out how to break this stupid bond which was forced upon him. Levi still didn't understand why Magath insisted on using Reiner to break the wall. The Warhammer could do it with ease, its crushing weapon perfect for such task. Maybe it was meant to be symbolic, a way to raise morale. As Reiner was the one who broke the wall for the first time, so many years ago. That time he had Berthold and Annie with him, the previous holder of the Colossal titan and the current host of the Female titan. And both of those powers were lost to the Eldians. What a shame.

Armored titan charged again, this time managing to break through. In a cloud of bricks and dust he emerged on the other side. Behind him, the troops filled the gap, pouring out with weapons raised. And they were met with silence. The other part of the wall was empty, the Eldians gone. Only thing left behind were the remnants of their camp. The army quickly scouted the grounds, making sure there is no ambush. After that, the commanding officers made their way through.

Magath certainly didn't expect this. For the enemy to just pack up and straight on leave without putting up any sort of resistance. They had the wall, they could try defending it. Instead they gave up and disappeared. This required a new change of plans. Summoning his officers, he started laying out the battle plan. Now that they were inside the walls, there was only one way to go. Further inside, until they reach the second barrier, break through that one and go on. If the information he got were correct, the seat of power was hiding behind the third wall in the heart of the city. That was their ultimate goal. Killing of capturing any sort of command structure their enemy had will make sure that the devils will be broken. Once they have the castle under their control, they can call this invasion a success. And he will return home as a hero. Exactly like he deserves.

Armin looked back at the retreating Eldian army, making sure everyone was on their posts. The fall back was well organized, lines of soldiers stretching way back. This strategy was decided to be the most effective one, even though it had certain problems. The distance between the two walls was quite short, giving them only a few nights they can make theirs raids in. Attacking the Marley army in broad daylight was suicide.

Several groups had already departed from the main body, heading to positions ideal for an ambush. One of those groups had Mikasa and Eren in them. Armin shook his head. Ever since she returned, his shifter friend seemed inseparable from his fiancé. Perhaps it was for the best. Around her his mental state was improving rapidly, and no one wanted Eren to go crazy again. That wouldn't benefit them at all. So, the general issued a few orders to make sure that Yeager was transferred under Mikasa's command. After all, his old commander was missing. Armin still wasn't sure why Levi made the suicidal charge into the enemy lines, he just hoped that he at least managed to kill the beast titan before being captured of killed by the enemy.

No one knew if he was executed or kept alive, but Armin was leaning towards the first option. There was no way Levi would betray his friends, so keeping him alive was not very beneficial. The general was also pretty sure that the commander is capable of withstanding any amount of torture he would be put through, so getting information out of him would be near impossible. Of course, he hoped that he was wrong, but all the facts spoke for themselves.

Turning back forward, he was greeted by wall Rose slowly rising over the horizon. There was the place they would make their final stand against the enemy. They couldn't retreat again. The area on the other side was heavily populated and letting the Marley army inside would be catastrophic. No. This would end here.

Win or lose, the end of the conflict was near.


	31. In the dead of night

The army was marching forward at an even pace, their destination growing closer and closer. Earlier today, they had released their last remaining airship into the air to scout. The info they got suggested that they might be able to reach the second wall in a day, two at most. It raised spirits. Morale was steadily going up, with the soldiers eager to end this campaign once and for all. It was mostly because the overwhelming majority were the forces brought by lady Tybur, those who didn't live through the grim march, the nightly attacks and the failed titan assault. They were living in a reality where the Eldian army was almost crushed, and then next battle will be a formality at best. They looked forward to looting the unprotected city. Everyone wanted a part of the spoils of war.

Magath wasn't that optimistic. He knew that even defeated, the remaining forces of the devils are still strong enough to be a pain. They still held all their shifters, and one Ackerman. He was honestly surprised that their advance was unmolested so far, no raiding groups left behind to stall them. Maybe the enemy commander was pooling his forces to the wall, preparing for the final conformation. But he wouldn't leave anything to chance. He doubled the night sentries, just in case. When they stopped for the day, he even ordered his soldiers to put up barricades. He didn't care that they murmured that he is crazy between themselves. Magath would be prepared.

And he was glad he did all this. The last night before they reached the walls, he was woken by screams of pain and shouting of his soldiers. He grabbed his gun, barking at Levi to follow him as he ran out of the tent. He was greeted by the picture he had already seen number of times. The Eldians must have managed to kill his sentries in silence, because they were deep in the camp already, killing everyone they came upon. Rows of tents were burning, illuminating the darkness. There were explosions in distance, most likely caused by the ammunition crates being set ablaze. The scene was dominated by a giant figure standing in the middle, spreading death and destruction everywhere. Wait a second. Magath squinted his eyes. There were two? Yes, there was no denying it. The usurpers titan was joined by another one, blonde haired feminine giant. General felt his heart drop. Oh no.

It was Leonhart. She switched sides. Honestly, he hoped that she would be executed long ago, passing the powers of the female titan on someone else. Her being here complicated things. She was a very strong warrior, cold under pressure, never letting her titan side consume her in the heat of the battle. And that didn't even take in account the psychological effect this will have on the soldiers. One of their own, now fighting for the devils? How could this happen? Right on cue, he saw a tall figure approaching him, swaying on his feet like a drunk. Reiner. He had a terrified expression on his face, like he was in a nightmare. Perhaps it was one for him. He was in the team with Annie and Berthold. One of his comrades was eaten by the enemy, and now the second one has switched sides. It must be devastating for him.

"Reiner, what are you doing here? ", Magath shouted, "Why aren't you shifted? We need everyone to repel this attack! "

But the warrior didn't seem to hear him.

"Its her, its Annie, she's alive. ", he blurted out like a madman.

"She is the enemy now, Braun. We must treat her like one. "

He stared at him, eyes wide.

"What do you mean, an enemy? She is Annie, she is our comrade, my friend. We have to save her! "

This would be complicated. Reiner simply refused to believe that she switched sides. Magath knew that his mental state was not very stable right now. Him and Pieck being the only survivors of the old wall breaking team, now that Zeke was assassinated, certainly didn't help. He spent way too much time inside the walls, getting to know the Eldians. That was a mistake. He got tainted by the devils, marked for the rest of his life. And seeing Annie now must have triggered something. Some old hope that she was still alive and waiting to be rescued. Magath shook his head, he can't fight like this.

"Reiner, why don't you head back to the other side of the camp and wait for her there? "

"But sir, I can help. We can kill the monster Eren and then she will join us. We will be together again. ", saying this, his eyes were shining with a maniacal light. He held onto this vision, of him and Annie reuniting so tightly, it was driving him crazy. Magath had to get him out of here, or he might actually defend her once his soldiers attack.

"We need someone to defend the supplies on the other side. We will take care of Leonhart, I promise. Now go, its an order. "

Braun was on the verge of arguing, but then his soldier instincts kicked in and he turned and ran to the given destination. All right, one down, two to go. As he looked back to the titans, he was pleasantly surprised by seeing the explosive transformations of the rest of his shifters. Galliard and Tybur were both ready, making their way to the raiders. Pieck was nowhere to be seen, probably having her back cannons fixed on her. Suddenly, the general felt a spike of fear. He realized that this was now an even field. The Eldians had two titans, same number as his own. Cold sweat appeared on his brow. The enemy shifters were surely supported by the special squad, consisting of troops trained in the flying gear, and that damn Ackerman. He had Levi, but that was a secret weapon he didn't want to show right now. No, he would not risk this.

Finding a messenger, he gave his orders. Retreat, and prepare the artillery line to hold the other half of the camp. Abandon this one, preserve as many soldiers as we can. His commands were met with surprise, but everyone followed them. He was the commanding officer after all. The titans retreated before any blows could be traded. He followed them, letting the Eldians rampage in this part of the encampment. Soon, this would all be meaningless. One they reach the wall, he will grind them all to dust.

The raid was huge success. For some reason the Marley army backed off after a while, leaving about half of their equipment to be destroyed. They made sure to leave nothing intact, burning the tents and crushing anything that looked valuable before Mikasa called retreat, and they disappeared back into the night. Now they had to make the long march to the wall, joining the rest of the army already prepared to defend there.

Eren felt lightheaded, riding in the front of the column, next to Annie. He still had no idea how Armin managed to convince Historia to let her go free. The night before, she appeared in their hidden camp alone, with no guards in sight, only bearing a letter form the queen giving her pardon for all her crimes in exchange for her services in the war. He was glad to see her. Even Mikasa managed to overcome her dislike for the blonde shifter and assigned her to Eren. He knew that its partly a security measure, he was supposed to take care of her if she tried anything.

But she didn't. Following orders to the letter, together they lay waste on Marley, watching the tiny troops scatter beneath them. Then the titans appeared, the Jaw and the Warhammer. Upon seeing the latter, the Attack titan inside him woke, prepared to take his rival head on. But before anything could happen between them, they turned and left. Leaving them alone to do as they pleased.

He turned his head to see his new comrade better. She seemed lost in thought, staring into the distance.

"Hey, Annie, ", he said, waking her from her lethargy, "I just want to say, good job today, we sure showed them. "

"Yes, I guess we did. "

She looked very serious, perhaps even a bit sad.

"Annie, are you okay? Is something wrong? ", he asked, concerned.

"It's difficult to fight your former side, it feels wrong. ", she smiled a bit, "I know I am hardly the one to talk, since I have done this once already. But it was hard the first time, and its still hard now. "

"Do you regret teaming up with us? "

"No. ", she shook her head, her voice clear of any doubt, "I don't. "

She locked eyes with him, "Eren, I know you probably don't care, but I am really sorry for the things I have done in my past. I did them because I believed they were right, but now I see how wrong it all was. Marley has no right try and control your lives. It took me long enough to realize, but I know it now. "

He smiled. It was surprising hearing such an outburst of emotion from Annie, but he appreciated it.

"You don't have to apologize. I have been in Marley, I have seen the brainwash they put you through. I have forgiven you long time ago. We are comrades now. "

She turned her head away, so he couldn't see the tears that started forming in her eyes.

"I appreciate it, thank you. "

They rode in silence for a time, before she asked: "Do you think Mikasa will ever forgive me? "

He grimaced a bit, this was a hard question.

"I don't know. She holds grudges longer then most people. And you two weren't really friends to begin with, remember? "

"Yes, but I would like to be her friend now. She is a soldier worthy of respect. "

The silence stretched for a time. Only sound the whistling of the wind around their ears and the grunting of the following army. The wall was growing on the horizon, signaling that they are close to their destination.

"You know, I went to see your daughter before I left to join you. "

Eren's eyes widened in surprise, but Annie was still talking.

"I got a permit from Historia. The visit was short, of course, and I was watched by soldiers. She looked happy to see me for some reason. "

"She is like that, ", Eren chuckled, "Always eager to make new friends. "

"The little monster tore a strand of my hair, "Annie frowned, "She takes after her mom in the strength department. "

Eren started laughing, his own scalp was often the target for Carla's assaults. It didn't help that his hair was longer then Mikasa's.

"She is pretty cute though, so I might forgive her. You think I could go and visit her again, after all this is over? "

"Of course, she will be delighted to have you as an aunt, Annie. "

She nodded, out of words to say. Together they rode through the gate to the camp, joining the rest of the army. Before they separated, Eren silently offered his hand and she shook it, a quiet bond forming between the two. As he turned to go and find Mikasa, a warm feeling was spreading in his chest.

Looks like he made a new friend tonight.


	32. Doomsday

This is it. Armin was staring down on the lines of the enemy army, preparing their attack. His own soldiers were all in position, standing on top of the wall. This time he decided to try and repel the assault from higher ground, mainly because he was scared of losing any more men. Their numbers were thin. From the look of the Marley troops, they weren't overstaffed either. The last raid had taken its toll. Seeing that the battle was about to begin, he decided to make last round to check on the stations, to make sure everything is as he ordered it to be. As he was walking, he noticed that everyone was looking at him for some reason. He didn't understand why until Hange nudged him with her elbow.

"They expect a speech. "

Oh right, he was the tragic leader of the doomed army after all. Looking at the faces of those who will be dying for him in a very near future, he slowly started putting together what to say. He must give them some kind of hope, now that everything is looking very grim. He cleared his throat.

"Comrades, have you looked at the other side of the wall lately? You might have noticed quite a gathering there. ", a wave of laughter ran through the crowd, everyone appreciating his attempt to lighten up the mood.

"I have taken a glance myself, and I was very surprised by what I saw. The soldiers there, they are so green that you can't tell the difference between them and a patch of grass! They have just come from over the sea, thinking that we are an easy prey, but they have no idea what they signed up for! "

He made a pause, taking in the atmosphere. Everybody was looking at him now, listening intently to his words. They needed this, needed him. He had to show them that they will survive this day, that their lives will not be given in vain.

"When I look at you, I don't see soldiers. I see men and women who came here, because they know that it's the only thing we can do. Contrary to what you might think, we did not start this war. They started it, when they locked us in these walls, when they made titans from our own people! We have just decided that waiting for them to annihilate us is not our way of life. And now, this day, everything will be finished. We are here, because if we don't stop these invaders, they will take everything we hold dear. Our families, our loved ones. They came to raze this city and stomp everyone in it to dust. And we will stop them. Because we are not some gathering of newbies. We are veterans, every single one of us. It doesn't matter that they have the numbers, we have the skill! "

They started cheering on those words, the morale rising visibly. All right Armin, now take it home. He pointed dramatically over the wall, right to the opposing army.

"Today, we will set a bloody reminder to the whole world, that anyone who tries to mess with Paradis will be destroyed! Today, we will kill, and we will die, but I promise you that every single life of Eldian soldier will be paid hundredfold by Marley blood! Go now, my soldiers! Go, and be ready to wreak havoc on those who mean us harm! For Eldia! "

The roar was deafening. They shook their weapons, cheering and jumping, resembling more a band of kids then an army. But he didn't mind. Let them have this small moment of glee before the carnage. Hange came close to him, tears shining in her eyes.

"Armin, that was perfect. "

"You think so? ", he smiled at the praise, "I'm no Erwin, but I did my best. "

She put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

"He would be proud of you. "

She gave him another squeeze before letting go and leaving to join her squad. Armin took a shuddering breath. He gave the courage to others, now he had to find it himself.

Magath stared up at the wall, watching the devils run around. They were clearly prepared for this, but it wouldn't matter. He had a good plan, a superior army and better shifters. This would be over before it even began. He turned to his officers next to him.

"Begin. "

The army started slowly moving forward. The men in front were carrying portable metal barriers, meant to shield them from enemy fire. They were followed by the best shots he had, prepared to take off the heads of any Eldian who appeared in their sights. In the back, he heard the explosions of transformations. Reiner stomped his way forward, followed by Galliard and Pieck. The Cart had its customary cannons affixed to its back, alongside metal armor to cover its head. Lady Tybur was the last one to show, the appearance of the titan carrying the hammer was accompanied by cheers from the army. Everyone was counting on her to make the difference, she was the strongest weapon they had. Magath smirked, looking at Levi standing behind him. He had his own surprise for the Eldians. The commanders eye twitched, he was clearly still fighting against the serum. It was useless of course. He would follow every order of the general until he died.

The soldiers on top of the wall prepared to fire. Rifles were lowered, and cannons moved into position. As the aggressors moved into range, a singular word could be heard.

"Fire! "

A deafening sound of the volley cut the air, and a rain of bullets fell on them. Even louder explosion of cannon fire followed, cutting deep holes in the lines. The metal plates which managed to catch a few rifle shots were useless against artillery shells. The bodies of soldiers were hurled into the air, falling in splashes of blood like broken toys. The lines shook, threatening to break. Magath could not let that happen.

On his signal, the titans charged forward, covered by artillery fire of their own. The cannons weren't very accurate shooting up the wall, but the effect of fear was enough. The titans crossed the distance to wall undamaged and started climbing up. Jaw was the fastest, scaling the difficult structure in a few minutes. On top, he fell on the defenders like a plague. Pieck was the second one to ascend, the gunners on her back-spreading death and destruction. No one could stop them.

Until another two explosions shook the air, accompanied by lighting. The Eldian shifters transformed. Galliard was face to face with roaring Attack titan. He tried jumping him, his massive jaw aiming for the neck. And was met with thunderous punch to the face which sent him plummeting down the wall. He hit the ground with a crack. Pieck on the other side stumbled back when Annie appeared, fists raised. The guns on Cart's back opened fire, opening several wounds in her body. But the Female didn't seem to mind. Charging Pieck, few good aimed punches sending her reeling. Annie advanced, but before she could finish the job, Reiner climbed up the wall, barring her way.

The Armored titan stared at his former friend, not making any move to attack her. And that was his mistake. She was having none of it. Her mind was made up, her purpose clear. She punched Braun straight in the face and he stumbled backwards, surprised. She continued her assault, barrage of hits cracking his faceplate. He brought his hands up, desperately trying to fend her off. But she wasn't stopping. Out of options, he used his massive weight as he charged her, both falling from the wall, bodies entangled. Annie managed to twist on top in the air, so Reiner was the one taking the blunt of the fall, his armor cracking on impact.

Incapacitated and shaken, he could only watch as she mercilessly raised her fists to finish him off. A single tear was rolling down his cheek in the titan, incredible sadness spreading in his chest. She didn't want to be saved. She was with the enemy now, out of her own free will. He was alone. Abandoned by everyone. His death will make him free, finally. He closed his eyes, waiting for Annie to finish it. I'm coming, Berthold.

A giant spike rose from the ground, impaling the Female titan through the chest, lifting her of her prey. Annie hardened her fist with a crystal and struck, breaking the spike off and landing on her feet. The Warhammer was approaching, the deadly weapon held in both hands. Annie raised her fists, prepared to fend her off.

Magath was watching intently as the battle unraveled. His army made it to the base of the wall, while the titans were keeping everyone busy. The second part of the plan was ready. He nodded at the waiting demolition expert.

"Do it. "

A giant explosion shook the whole wall, ripping a hole in the construction. The general smiled. Science was more effective than any titan. His troops were quickly pouring on the other side, just to be intercepted by flying figures. The special squad, coming for their fill of blood. He noticed their leader. There she was, the other Ackerman. That bitch responsible for so many deaths. Time to cut her wings. He turned to Levi.

"I have an assignment for you. "

"Fuck off. "

Magath chuckled. He can swear all he wants, but he must obey his orders.

"In front of us, my men are just getting butchered by these flying bastards. I want you to go and kill their leader, that should turn the tides. "

Levi's eyes bulged as he tried resisting the order. No, he will not kill Mikasa, he can't make him. But he was wrong. He could force him. His body started moving towards the breach with a deadly intent. He tried to stop himself every step of the way, but it was useless. I just hope you are strong enough to kill me now, Mikasa, he thought to himself. Soon he would find out. He reached the battle, seeing the Marley forces getting cut apart. Pulling out his blades, he eyed his target, moving up close. She recognized him, eyes widening in surprise. No, don't be happy, its not me. Defend yourself! He tried yelling out those words, but his lips remained sealed. She landed close to him, tugging her scarf down, a smile spreading on her lips.

"Hey Levi, we thought you are dead. "

I am dead, this is not me. Mikasa please, don't come closer. He fought. So hard like he never did in his life before. His knuckles bled white as he gripped the handles of his blades, trying so hard to control his muscles. She came closer, dropping her own swords out of fighting stance. No…

She must have seen his face now, brows furrowed in concertation, teeth clenched, sweat running down his forehead. She opened her mouth to ask if something is wrong. And his arm moved on its own, Magath's order echoing in his head. He cut her down while a scream ripped from his throat.

Annie dodged another blow of the hammer, dancing out of its reach. This was difficult. The Warhammer had perfect control over her weapon. She was an experienced fighter and very skilled with her abilities. The Female titan had already taken several blows, having to drain her regenerative abilities to keep in the fight. She could feel them weakening, this cant go on for much longer. Right as she was starting to lose hope, the ground next to her shook with Eren's landing.

The Attack titan straightened, looking his rival straight in the eye. He was ready to take her on now, ready to wash the shame of his defeat from himself. He nodded to his new ally, the Female, and brought his hands up, prepared to fight. The Warhammer took a few steps, spinning her weapon to more defensive stance. Her eyes were still cold, calculating. Eren roared and charged her, Annie following close behind. Or tried to. She was stopped in her tracks by a hand grabbing her by ankle. Turning around, she saw Reiner holding her in place. No, she can't let Eren do this alone, the Warhammer is too dangerous. Roaring in frustration, she stomped on the Armored titan's nape, trying to crush the shifter inside.

Braun felt tears rolling down his cheeks as his whole body shook under the strength of her blows. Life was so painful. His whole existence, all the suffering leads up to this. Lying on the ground, crushed, with his comrade and friend trying her hardest to stomp the life out of him. He didn't care if he died, he just hoped it would be quick. The armor on his nape started cracking, the pressure being too much. Closing his eyes again, he tried remembering some good things. And his best memories were of his time spent in the 104th. A smile spread on his face as he remembered their time together. The training, the life in the barracks. For the first time in his life, he felt accepted. In the walls, he was no devil, just another orphan whose life was destroyed by the titans. A friend. Maybe he should have stayed.

His nape gave in, the armor shattering. Goodbye Annie. I guess you are the one who made the right choice in the end.

Eren felt the hammer cracking his shoulder as he groaned, falling to his knees. She was so fast! The new hardening he worked so hard to create could withstand the power of the blows, but it did nothing to weaken the impact. His whole body was still being batted around like a doll. He roared, standing up and delivering a punch to the Warhammer's face. Its face plate cracked, blood spraying. Yet it didn't make a sound, spinning its hammer for another attack. Eren tried blocking, putting his hands up to protect his head, just as Annie told him to do. Suddenly two spikes emerged from the ground, puncturing his shoulders. It severed most of his muscles there, his arms uselessly falling next to his body, head unprotected. And Warhammer took advantage of that.

The blow was terrible, lifting him off his feet and throwing him on the ground, head exploding in a shower of bone and blood. The air hit his real body in a rush. He was completely dazed, exposed, not able to defend himself. The Attack titan roared in his head. Not again! His nemesis approached, lifting the hammer for the killing blow, just like back in Marley. And this time, there was no Mikasa to save him. Eren closed his eyes, feeling humiliated. He let them all down again. Looks like his time with his family has come to and end. I'm sorry everyone.

He was covered by a giant shadow, a body jumping to protect him. Annie. She must have managed to free herself from Reiner's grasp, because she came to his aid. To save his life. But by doing this, she has put herself directly in the path of the enemy swing. Eren felt coldness spread through his body. She will take the full force of the impact, she can't take that. But as the enemy moved, swinging his giant weapon with terrifying strength, he saw something impossible. Annie was smiling.

The hammer fell.


	33. The Devil

Whichever god designed the life of Eren Yeager must have a very cruel and twisted mind. As a child, he watched his mother being eaten by a titan, helpless. Years later, he once again watched, as his old friend and protector, Hannes, suffered the same fate. And now, after all this time, he watched a woman he came to admire, woman who had no duty towards him, sacrifice herself, so he can live.

To call the blow strong would be an understatement. Warhammer put all her hate behind the swing, all the dedication and strength. The weapon crushed Annie's head and neck and buried itself deep in the torso. The Female titan stumbled, before falling to its knees, suddenly robbed of its control center. Eren saw all this happening like in a dream, his mind still fogged from the beating he received. Tybur pulled her hammer out of the carcass with a crunch, and it fell to the side. The body quickly started to dissipate, steam rising.

The Warhammer cleared the terrible instrument on a patch of grass, the blood and gore staining the green. There was no pity in her eyes, only cold determination.

"Look, Usurper, and see what will happen to anyone who tries to shield you. Your days are over. How many of your friends must die before you realize how weak you truly are? ", the titan's booming voice carried over the battlefield. It came closer, raising the hammer again.

"Now die. "

Eren felt strangely at peace, watching the weapon rise. Perhaps it was the only way. He had to die, so others will live. He was cursed anyway, wasn't he? Just as he was about to close his eyes and let it all end, his mind exploded. The Attack titan broke in, roaring in defiance. Its anger sparked Eren's own, the ice in his chest melting. Annie just died for him. The soldiers all around were dying. And he was about to let the invaders win? No fucking way.

He reached out, feeling the inner strength flooding into his limbs. He didn't give up control, not completely, but he didn't keep it either. He and the titan simply stopped being two different pieces of mind. They became one for now. The destroyed piece of his body grew back in an instant, the shifters tiny figure covered. But it was too late. The Hammer fell once more.

And was met with hardened fists. The new and improved armor he created held against the terrifying blow, it didn't crack. The Attack titan stood, roaring, and punched the aggressor square in the face. The strength blew away part of its skull, whole body flying backwards and meeting the ground. But Tybur was not defeated, quickly getting up, her head whole once more, she swung her hammer around to make space. Eren dodged before lunging forward, overwhelming his foe. The Warhammer was quickly put on defensive, trying to block as many punches as she could.

The assault was too much. Her body was starting to break apart, armor crushed and useless. For the first time in her life, the Warhammer titan felt cold fingers of fear. One well-aimed hit passed the block, landing on her stomach. And going right through. The force being so huge that it didn't stop until Eren's hand emerged from her back. This was bad. Tybur didn't feel pain of the titan, no shifter did. But this damage was done straight to the spine, severely hindering her movement. She needed a break, to regenerate, but the Attack titan was giving her none. The hammer fell from her hands as she tried covering her nape, the roar that ripped from her throat being one of complete desperation. Luckily for her, she was not alone.

Galliard, completely ignored, managed to wake up from his plunge from the wall, regenerating the damage. Now he jumped Eren from behind, hands locking around his neck as he bit into his shoulder, trying to tear it off. He stumbled backwards, trying to peel the Jaw from his back, but Porco was holding fast. With the barrage of blows finally coming to and end, the Warhammer started regenerating, picking up its weapon. She will make the usurper pay for this.

The Attack titan roared in frustration, as he tried to get rid of the new assailant, but to no avail. His massive Jaw was now sunk deeply into his shoulder, holding like a bulldog. In the corner of his eye he was his nemesis rising, steam hissing from the multiple wounds as they healed. She was clearly looking for an opening, hammer ready to deliver another one of its crushing hits. Eren felt the titans anger searing like a furnace. No, he won't be defeated. Not again. Reaching over his shoulder, he grabbed the Jaw by the back of his neck and pulled, putting all his strength behind the move.

The infamous maw held. The flesh didn't. With a sickening sound, Eren pulled Galliard from his back, ripping of his own arm in the process. The Marley titan looked very surprised, resembling dog holding a bone between the teeth. Eren wasted no time. He slammed him into the Warhammer, sending them both reeling. They crushed on the ground together, both stunned. The Attack titan pressed on, quickly following with a stomp on Galliard's back, effectively crushing enough bones to prevent his movements for a time. Tybur tried getting up, dazed, and was sat back down with another thundering punch. All the while the missing arm was regenerating, clouds of steam rising as the stump regrew.

Seeing his commander getting crushed, the Jaw put together the last of its strength and lunged, maw closing around Eren's neck. But the hardening hit fast. The massive teeth scraped on the armor plates, doing no real damage. A giant hand hooked behind the lower jaw and pulled once again. The muscles ripped, bones breaking, as Eren parted the infamous part, the one that gave the titan its name, from his body. Robbed of his strongest weapon, Galliard fell back on the ground, completely taken by surprise. But the attack titan was not done. He swung, burying the Jaw in his enemy's nape. Porco Galliard was impaled on the massive teeth of his own titan, dying almost instantly.

His sacrifice was not in vain. While Eren was finishing him off, Tybur managed to regenerate all the important parts back, standing up. The Attack titan rose to meet her. She swung her hammer, he punched. The head of the weapon met with the hardened fist. And shattered into thousand pieces. Eyes widening, the Warhammer stared at the broken instrument. Eren charged, grappling her and throwing them both on the ground. Straddling her waist, he started his barrage once again, destroying his nemesis. Her attempts at defense were weak, her stamina reserves completely drained. Crushing both of her hands, he started pummeling her face. Plates cracked, bones broke, flesh was torn. Lady Tybur faced the coming darkness proudly, head held high. She did her duty with honor. Willy would be proud.

The Attack titan pulled the tiny figure out of the nape. So, this was the one who defeated him before. Well, the tables have turned. And he will not give second chances. Throwing the unconscious person into his mouth, he made sure to bite her in half before swallowing. Undisturbed, he repeated the same process with Galliard. Wanting more, he looked around, seeing the Armored titan's smoking body. He approached it, once again finding the shifter, eating him. Eren had a faint feeling that he should not be doing this. But he was too engulfed in the battle, still seeing red, smelling blood. Devouring the other shifters to become stronger made perfect sense, no? Spotting Annie's body, he rose to collect her power too.

It was all the training that saved Mikasa's life. The long hours spent fighting, sparring and preparing herself for exactly the moment which now occurred. Upon seeing the naked steel nearing, her body instinctively jumped backwards. Yet Levi was no beginner either. He aimed his attack deep enough. The blade went through the skin and muscle, opening a massive cut. It didn't go deep enough to kill, but the wound was bleeding profusely. She dropped one sword and pressed her hand against it, hoping to stench the flow.

Her mind was cleared by the pain. She didn't care why Levi did what he did. He attacked her. He was the enemy now. Right now, survival was most important. Asking questions came later. Raising her remaining blade, she saw how dire her situation was. She was alone, wounded, and the commander was slowly closing the distance, murder in his eyes. She couldn't escape, the gear would put too much pressure on her torn abdomen. Gritting her teeth, she took a stance and steeled herself against him. He came at her like a storm.

It was possibly the best damn blade work Levi saw in his life. Mikasa managed to repel his assault with only one sword, weakened, blood pouring out of her. He wasn't holding back, he couldn't. Magath's order to kill her was forcing him to go all out, putting his whole might behind the swings. Yet she was still standing. But it wouldn't be enough. The blood loss will take its toll, and in the end, he will cut her down. He continued straining against the command, and it was still useless. But before he could harm her again, their duel was interrupted by thundering hooves.

The remnants of Eldian cavalry crushed into the breach, cutting down the disorganized Marley soldiers like grass. Leading them was Jean, riding his favorite horse. His eyes scanned the battlefield. Upon seeing Mikasa and Levi with swords locked, he didn't waste any time. Kicking his mount into run, he aimed him straight at the shorter man, trying to run him over. If it was a normal soldier, it would work. But Levi was anything but ordinary. Dropping to a roll, he dodged the charge and swung behind himself, hitting flesh. The stallion screamed in pain as his front legs were cut, crashing into the ground. Jean managed to jump off in time, standing up with swords at the ready.

Levi stood up himself, turning to face him. They clashed. It was painfully obvious how this duel will end. Mikasa might be able to hold her own against him, but Jean was no Ackerman. He fought valiantly, putting all his considerable skill into the fight. And he lost. The commander disarmed him with a flick of his wrist, swords clattering on the ground. Jean didn't move, instead balling his fists, determined to keep fighting. Levi struck, with full intention to kill. Instead, his steel was met with steel, as Mikasa parried the blow. And cut him right across the face. The explosion of pain sent him to his knees, both hands clutching the wound. Yes! Now you can do it. Kill me! End this torment! Looking between his fingers, he saw her standing over him, face bearing no expression. She raised the sword. And hit him right on the temple with the hilt. Darkness took him, his last thoughts being: "Fuck this. "

Armin watched the battlefield from the top of the wall. He shot his share of Marleyans but didn't transform. Instead, he watched the battle unfold. He saw Eren and Annie fighting the enemy shifters, until a cloud of smoke bared his vision. He saw the explosion below, and the army that poured itself into the breach, sending Mikasa and the special forces to hold them back while Jean prepared his riders. He didn't know what happened afterwards, any sort of communication nonexistent in the carnage. Watching the troops pressed to the wall, trying to pass the clogged hole, he knew exactly what to do. Dropping his rifle, he jumped down, closing his eyes and stabbing himself in the hand.

The transformation was as destructive as usual. Massive explosion of steam and energy ripping the Marley lines apart. He crash-landed in the middle of them, spreading death. The man inside the titan smiled. It was high time that they learn what happens to those who attack Paradis. Crushing the men by scores, he started clearing out the front of the wall with terrifying efficiency.

Magath fell on the ground, shielding his eyes from the massive flash of light. When he opened them, he was in a nightmare. The Colossal titan was there, while his was army broken and trying to run from his reach. But his hands were long. No, this can't be happening. Where is Tybur? She was supposed to take care of him! He suddenly realized his opponent's play. Knowing the full extent of Warhammer's powers, he waited until she was busy elsewhere before attacking. Now he was wreaking havoc, turning the battle around, and Tybur was nowhere to be seen. He was just about to bark some orders to find her, when he saw a messenger running to him. The man was white-faced, horror written in his eyes.

"What happened? Spit it out! ", shouted Magath, fear taking over.

"General, it's done. They are all dead. ", his voice was shaking, "Lady Tybur, Galliard, Reiner. All of them. ".

The messenger pointed behind himself.

"Sir, he… The monster is eating them. "

Numbness. The icy apathy gripped his heart, spreading in the whole body. A cold sweat beaded on his brow as he looked on his officers. They had the same expression. No, this didn't happen. The messenger is lying. But before he could question him, the man saluted and pulled out his pistol, putting the barrel into his own mouth and pulling the trigger. His body crumbled on the ground, brain shot out. Watching the scene, Magath started chuckling like a maniac, the absurdity of the situation settling in.

The explosion was another titan shifting, the Attack titan could tell. He froze in position, his hand never making it to the intended destination of the Female titan's nape. As he paused, Eren's senses started coming back to him. Was he just about to eat Annie? The one who sacrificed herself to save him? He felt sick. Standing up, he scanned the field. Armin shifted, his massive body clearly visible, standing close to the wall. The enemy army was pressed around him, their ranks breaking. Taking it all in, he noticed something. The command platform of Marley was only lightly defended, creating an opening. Standing up, the Attack titan broke into full sprint towards it.

Magath's laughter was cut short when he saw his death approaching. It took the form of a massive, fifteen meters tall giant, running straight for him. The men around him saw it too and scattered, hoping to get away. But the general knew his fate when he saw it. Aiming his gun, he shot his whole magazine on the approaching monster. He didn't do any damage of course. Pulling a sword from his scabbard he took a fighting stance, prepared to at least cut the devil as painfully as he could. But before he could take a swing, Eren's fist crushed him.

There was nothing left of Theo Magath, the general of the Marley forces invading Paradis, to bury.


	34. Aftermath

And just like that, it was over. The Marley lines, pounded in the front by cavalry and special forces, cut in half by the Colossal titan and lacking command after Eren's attack, broke. Some ran, some surrendered, some fought until the end. In the bigger picture, it didn't matter. The great invasion was defeated, the grand plan of Theo Magath burned into ashes. In the years to come, many would look at this battle as a turning point of history, the day when Paradis stopped being a prison state for their neighbor and entered the world as a free nation.

Everywhere around him were soldiers, taking prisoners, escorting wounded to safety or finishing off last pockets of resistance. But the one he was looking for was nowhere to be found. Eren whipped his head around, searching for the familiar flash or red scarf, black hair and pale skin. But he didn't see Mikasa anywhere. Where was she? He elbowed through the squads, slight panic rising in his chest. A hand fell on his shoulder, and after turning around he saw the face of a very tired Jean.

"Jean, have you seen Mikasa anywhere? ", he asked, fighting to keep his voice calm.

"She's in the medical bay. She got hurt. "

Eren felt cold fear gripping his heart. No, this wasn't happening. Did he really go through all this just to see her wounded again?

"How bad is it? "

"Her life is not in danger, if that's what you are asking. She got cut pretty bad though. "

"Yea, thanks Jean. I'm going to see her right now. ", with those words he turned and headed for the provisional medical tent, set up in the shade of the wall.

There were so many wounded, they couldn't even be fitted inside. Men and women laid on the grass, on their cloaks, various bandages leaking blood on them. This is the price of victory, he thought while passing them, hearing the cries of pain. Sometimes he forgot what its like to be hurt, his wounds healed instantly. Seeing this put him back on the ground. The battle might have been won, but many good soldiers paid with their lives or limbs. It will take a long time before Paradis is back at full strength.

Not seeing his fiancé anywhere outside, he pushed his way in. Going past more beds, occupied by those seriously hacked up, past exhausted nurses and medics doing their best to keep them alive. Setting limbs, stitching wounds, cleaning up the blood. Eren didn't feel nauseated in the slightest. He always had an affinity for the job, with his father being doctor and all. Perhaps he could become one, now that the war was over. It was over, wasn't it? If he was being honest, he wasn't completely sure.

He found Mikasa in the back of the tent, lying on a narrow cot with her eyes closed. He scooted closer, taking her hand in his, her eyes fluttering open. She smiled when she saw him.

"Hey Eren. "

Her voice was so weak. She looked like a mess, her eyes tired, hair completely tussled, uniform dirty and bloodied. It pained his heart. She did look intact, save for the bandage wrapped around her abdomen. And she was alive, that was most important. Eren felt his eyes starting to water, incredible relief spreading through his whole being. Gently squeezing her hand, he put his other on her wound.

"How bad is it? "

"It's okay. Really, I'm fine. "

He groaned. There she goes again, acting like invincible machine. For all her strength, she was still a human, she could get hurt. She could die. Seeing him roll his eyes on her, she frowned.

"Hey, I'm telling the truth. Its just a cut, nothing else. Its stitched and bandaged, nothing more they can do for me. "

"All right, I believe you. ", he leaned in to kiss her forehead, murmuring: "Want to get out of here? "

"Oh, hell yes. "

Eren chuckled as he slid his hand under her knees to gently pick her up, making sure not to rattle her hurt body in any way. Carrying her out of the tent, bridal style, he noticed few of the medics looking at them, but no one stopped him. They were probably grateful that the bed was free. He walked to the lifts, eventually making it to the top of the wall, where he sat down. Mikasa sighed as she stretched her legs, resting her back against his chest. He put his head on her shoulder, pressing a peck to her cheek. For a time, they just sat there, none of them talking, looking down at the field. It was littered with bodies of both sides. The grass soaked with blood.

"Who survived? ", she asked, finally breaking the silence.

"I killed the Jaw and Warhammer, Annie killed Reiner. ", he said.

"What about her, did she make it? "

"No… Tybur killed her. ", Eren replied, sadness taking over.

Mikasa just nodded, shifting a bit to be more comfortable and the whispering of wind was the only thing they heard for a time.

This time it was Eren, who asked: "Who cut you? "

"Levi. "

His eyes popped wide open on the statement. He was sure that their commander was long dead, executed after murdering the Beast titan.

"He's alive? "

"Yes. He attacked us when we were holding back the Marley soldiers in the breach. Hange thinks that he was controlled somehow, acting against his will. I don't believe that he would switch sides either. "

"Where is he now? "

"He's being held prisoner. We can think what we want about why he did it, but he attacked us, killed many of our comrades. He would kill me too, if not for Jean. "

"Jean saved you? ", Eren asked, feeling a wave of gratefulness towards his horse-faced friend.

She nodded.

"Charged Levi, distracted him long enough so I could knock him out. "

"I got to thank him once I see him. "

Before he could say anything else, they heard a familiar voice calling for them. Connie appeared, climbing off the lift.

"Eren, Mikasa, you are both required for a council. Armin wants to talk to us all. "

"Guess we shouldn't keep the general waiting, ", he whispered in her ear, kissing her cheek and picking her up. They boarded the lift with Connie and the platform started bringing them down. Stealing a quick look at his friend, he could clearly see that the battle had left its marks. His uniform was torn in several places, he had a black eye and several bruises at the jaw. They didn't talk as they reached the ground, Connie leading them out and through the camp.

Reaching the command tent guarded by two men, he ushered them inside. Putting Mikasa on a chair and taking a seat next to her, Eren finally looked around to see the others. Armin is present, of course, looking battle tired as the rest of them. Sasha had a bandage around her head, Hange on her shoulder. The only one looking fresh was the queen. Historia was wearing a uniform, surprisingly, but hers was clean. A way to increase morale perhaps? You can't really expect your sovereign to join in a battle now, can you? The only person missing was Levi.

"All right, everyone's here, we can begin. ", said Armin.

"I would like to start by congratulating everyone. We have made it. The invading forces of Marley are defeated, their general dead. Now we must decide what to do with this victory. First, I would like to hear report from one of you who didn't talk to me yet. ", he looked straight at Eren. "Yeager, what happened on your end? "

"Me and Annie engaged the enemy shifters, she killed the Armored titan before dying to the Warhammer. I managed to kill the Jaw and then faced Tybur alone. I killed her. "

Armin's face contorted in pain upon hearing about Annie's demise. He suspected it, but hearing it confirmed as a fact hurt. It hurt so much. But he had a job to do now, he can mourn her later.

"What happened to the bodies? "

"I… I ate them. ", said Eren, feeling ashamed for his behavior. "I wasn't in my right mind after the fight, the titan simply decided that devouring his enemies is the right thing to do. I didn't do it to Annie though, I woke in time. "

The general nodded before talking.

"The Cart titan shifter, Pieck, has been captured by us. That makes all of Marley titan's either dead or restrained. Now moving to other subjects. We have suffered great losses, as expected. Our cavalry is non-existent, our ground troops have been reduced to a few squads and the special corps lost about seventy perfect of its members. There is also a case of commander Levi. He attacked our army, which would make him a traitor, but I believe it is safe to say that no one of us believes that he had any control over his actions. He will remain imprisoned for now, until more research is done on him. Any complaints? "

He looked around the room, but no one said a word.

"To the happier things. We have managed to capture the last enemy airship alongside many new technologies and inventions. They will be passed to the research division for further testing. There is also the case of the prisoners of war. What should we do with them? "

He directed his question straight at the queen. She was the highest authority after all.

"They will be questioned, of course, and put to work to undo the damage they caused. ", said Historia, her tone regal. "But i will not suffer any form of meaningless torture or humiliation. They are people, and they will be treated as such. "

Armin bowed. "It will be done as you command, your highness. "

"Now to the most important thing. We must not think that our trouble is over. Marley is a huge state, according to our sources, much bigger then our island. We have no hopes of wining over them in combat. So, we must use the only weapon we have left. Diplomacy. "

The faces of everyone present turned sour upon hearing that. Knowing that your victory today, all the sacrifices you were forced to make, are ultimately meaningless, definitely spoiled the taste of it. But Armin was right, as usual. Magath acted on his own, attacking with just a sliver of forces. If the whole Marley military was to mobilize, they would simply bury Eldians in bodies. They had to find another way.

Historia took the stage, saying: "I will be going to Marley, and soon. The general will be joining me, alongside all of you. I know that it sounds stupid, putting all our highest officers in the same room with them, but it's the only way. We must appear strong. Much stronger then we truly are. You know the truth. Our army is exhausted, we cannot fight again. "

Eren grimaced. So, they will be putting everyone here at the mercy of the enemy. He didn't like it, not one bit. He would really like if at least Mikasa stayed behind, but knowing her, that was impossible.

"With that, this meeting is concluded. Go take care of your soldiers. And be prepared for our trip. "

They started standing up, leaving the tent. Eren was just about to pick Mikasa back up, when he was held by Hange.

"Can you stay a bit longer? We want to tell you something. "

He nodded, intrigued, and sat back down. Hange waited until everyone left, leaving only her, Eren, Mikasa and of course Armin and Historia inside. Then she pulled out a battered, very old looking notebook out of her pocket.

"We have managed to find the science tent of the Marleyans. When we entered it, we found out that the men inside had committed suicide, most likely to prevent themselves from being captured. They also destroyed most of the research inside, but not everything. This notebook was amongst the surviving things. I have read it, and there is some information you will find very interesting. "

"All right, let's hear it. ", said Eren, wanting to know more.

"This book is old, very old in fact. It belonged to a research worker, back in the days when Marley still owned all the titans. Seems like the government was working on several projects regarding the titans. The Ackermans, the hardening, all the fun stuff. And, ", she took a dramatic pause, "one of those projects was so called titan-combining. Rings a bell? "

"Like merging several titans into one? "

"Exactly! ", Hange was starting to look very excited. Talking about science, especially titan science, really got her fired up. "The barbarians made their shifters eat each other, to test if it's possible to host multiple titan powers inside one body! And they found out some interesting stuff. According to the guy writing this, there is something called the rule of three. "

"What's that? ", Eren asked, confused.

"As you certainly know, the titans originally came from Ymir, the holder of all nine powers. When she split them, a certain mechanism came into being. It seems to prevent bonding of any more than three titans together, so Ymir can never be reborn again. "

Eren furrowed his brows. Does that mean that eating the shifters was useless?

"So, what does that mean for me? "

"Many things. For starters, who did you eat first? "

"The Warhammer. My memory is foggy, since the titan was in control, but I remember that clearly. "

"That means that according to the research from past, you should gain the powers of the Warhammer, but nothing more. The Jaw and Armored titan's have returned to the paths to find a new Eldian host. "

This was great. So now two more innocent babies will be infected with the titan powers, cutting their lifespan. A true shame. But Hange was not done talking.

"That's not all. The test subject that ate three shifters, meaning he should have four powers, well, something interesting happened to him. He didn't get the fourth strength, but he wasn't left empty-handed either. "Hange took a deep breath, evidently very excited.

"Eren, he lived. The subject was supposed to die from the curse in a year, returning his powers to the people, but he lived. "

What was she saying? Eren couldn't really wrap his head around it. Does that mean that…? Hange shifted a bit closer, looking him straight in the eye.

"If the book doesn't lie, and I see no reason why it should, any power gained beyond the limit of three doesn't take roots in your body, but it does something different. It cleanses you of the curse of Ymir. Eren, you won't die in three years! "

He felt Mikasa squeezing his hand, looking as surprised as he was. No curse of Ymir? No three-year limit hanging over his head? He gulped. His mind still not completely getting it.

"I... I need some time to process this. "

Hange nodded.

"You are both free to go. Just be ready for the journey to Marley. "

He slowly stood up, picking Mikasa up, and left the tent, thousand of thoughts circling in his head. He made peace with his death long ago, accepted it. Of course, he wasn't looking forward to it, especially now, when he had a daughter with the woman he loved, but they both knew what they were signing up for. Now his whole life got turned around. Mikasa wasn't saying anything either, most likely as confused as he was. He was just about to go and try to find a place for the night, when he noticed a lone figure standing on the edge of the camp, looking over the fields.

"Mikasa, can you walk? ", he asked, and when she nodded, he slowly set her down.

"I'll go and find us a tent, ", she said, kissing his cheek, "Don't be too long. "

She left, walking slowly, careful not to put too much pressure on the wound. Eren approached the man, clearing his throat.

"Hey Jean. "

His friend didn't say anything, extending a hand towards him. He was holding a pack of cigarettes. Eren was just about to decline, when he decided otherwise, taking one. They just won a damn war, didn't they? They smoked in a silence for a time, only broken when Eren coughed, taking the smoke too far in. Fuck his throat felt raw.

"Jean, I want to thank you. ", he said finally, throwing the butt on the ground and stomping it out.

"What for? "

"Mikasa told me what happened. You saved her, again. I don't know what I would do without her. "

Jean nodded, not saying anything, only taking another pull.

"I just want you to know, that if you ever need anything, we will be there to help you, all right? "

"My horse died. ", said Jean suddenly, looking at Eren.

"It was my best, my favorite. And Levi cut him down. "

"I'm sorry about that. "

Jean shook his head.

"Don't be, it was worth it. You remember our discussion about sacrificing lives of others? This is one of those situations. Horse died, so your girlfriend can live. Good trade, isn't it? "

Before he could reply, the cavalry commander turned back, looking at the fields again.

"Just go man. She needs you more then I do. Take care of her. "

Eren clapped him on the shoulder. Murmuring his thanks again and turned to leave.

"I will remember that favor though! ", called Jean after him.

After stopping and asking for directions, he found the tent he got assigned with Mikasa. Reaching it and going inside, he found out that she was already sleeping, looking peaceful. Careful not to wake her he wiggled himself on the narrow cot, putting an arm around her waist. It still felt like a dream. Their problems were far from over, but the war was won. And now the with the stuff Hange told him, that he might survive longer then he planned to, maybe his life has taken a turn for the better.

It was about damn time.


	35. An enemy of my enemy

Eren blinked, opening his eyes to the shining sun once more. The familiar feeling of a dream combined with reality told him where he was. Back inside his mind, where he talked to the old king. Looking around, he didn't see Reiss anywhere though. And the wall was gone. He was standing on the ground, plains of grass under his feet stretching as far as he could see. The absence of the man who brought him here in the first place however, made him question how he got here. His query got answered, when he spotted a giant figure sitting in the distance.

The Attack titan was gazing at the ocean, the setting sun illuminating his figure. Eren approached him, and after some thought, decided to sit down next to him, looking at the water too. They didn't talk, the silence falling over them like a blanket. Eren didn't know why he was brought here, for what reason has the giant decided to drag him back into this piece of his mind, but he didn't complain. He had some questions of his own. His patience got rewarded when the titan turned his head to look at him, deep rumbling in his chest signaling that the time for asking has come. All right, lets start with the obvious thing.

"Why are you the only one here? Where is Reiss? And shouldn't the Warhammer be here too? "

The Attack titan simply shrugged his giant shoulders. Right. Seems like that even his alter-ego didn't have all the answers.

"You heard Hange talking about the curse, didn't you? "

The titan nodded.

"Seems like we might be stuck together far longer than either of us expected to. "

He grumbled again, but this time Eren felt a wave of happiness wash over him.

"Yeah buddy, I love you too. "

The giant chuckled, turning back towards the ocean. Eren let his gaze follow, feeling content. With Reiss gone, his mind was finally becoming a place of peace once more. The Attack titan had a strong hold over it, and he was acting like a friend. Perhaps he truly was one. As they sat, the sun slowly disappeared beyond the horizon, shrouding the plain in darkness. Eren felt him body starting to dissipate, signaling the end of his visit. He held out a fist, turning towards his titan. The monstrous fifteen meters tall being looked at him in surprise, brows furrowing, before he extended his own massive fist, gently bumping it into Eren's. As his body completely disappeared, the last thing the shifter felt was a great amusement.

He woke, his body still laying in the cot where he fell asleep, a smile spread on his face. Unable to visit the dreamland again, he spent the rest of his night listening to Mikasa's breathing and stroking her hair.

It felt alien, coming back to Marley. Historia told them the truth when she said that the visit is of highest importance. It took her just three days, assembling the envoy and preparing a ship. It was a single vessel, one of those that Magath used to bring the invading army to Paradis. The group selected to come was small. Historia, Armin, Eren, Mikasa, Connie, Jean, Sasha and Hange. They were accompanied by an honor guard for the queen. The last cabin was filled by prisoners, a few picked individuals to be returned to Marley as a bargaining chip. Amongst them was the cart titan, Pieck. Armin strongly disagreed with Historia's decision to return her, but she was adamant.

"Giving back their only remaining shifter will make us look good in their eyes, and that's what we need now. We need to prove that we are no devils. "

The general grumbled but surrendered. She was the higher authority after all. The journey itself was quite pleasant, mostly filled with talking about the war. Eren asked about the time they spent separated with Mikasa. She told him that her and Sasha spent most of it hiding in the woods, because Magath deployed a considerable number of squads to try and flush them out. They were wiped out to the last man.

As soon as they reached the shore, they were surrounded by soldiers. After a few quick words from the queen, they were escorted into a building and kept under tight guard. No one tried to put them in jail yet, so it was going much better then expected. Eren didn't know how long they waited. But in the end an escort came and brought them into a room with a bunch of important looking guys sitting around a table. Historia immediately went and sat down herself, not waiting for any kind of invitation. Following her lead, the rest of the envoy took their seats, facing the officials. The one with most medals pinned to his chest cleared his throat.

"Greetings, what are the terms of your surrender? "

To everyone's surprise, Historia started laughing.

"Surrender? What are you talking about? "

"Well, since you requested a meeting, we thought… "

"We whooped your ass, Marley boy, why would we surrender? "

Eren cringed a little bit, this negotiation won't go very smoothly if she keeps talking like that.

"You have defeated but a tiny part of our military might, queen. Rest assured that we are more then ready to deploy a new army to  
wipe you out if you do not surrender. "

"Oh, you could do that. ", the queen wasn't losing her cheery attitude, "You can attack us again, and most likely defeat us in the end. But at what cost? "

"What do you mean by that? ", asked the official, his voice wary.

"Well, as you certainly know by now, we posses all of the titans, with exception of the Cart, which we graciously returned as a sign of our goodwill. We have a hardened army of veterans, technology developed beyond your dreams and the perfect knowledge of the terrain we will be fighting in. "

Yea, she was exaggerating. A lot. Their army was smashed into pieces. They controlled just four of the titans, with three of them being fused in Eren. And their technology was still far beyond the one used in Marley. But sometimes you just had to bet on an uncertain card in politics, and she was going all in.

The official gulped, looking on the other members of his group with wide eyes. They were scared, Historia could almost smell it. But she can't spook them too much, she wasn't here to start another war, but to prevent one.

"But fighting us is just one of your options. ", she said, leaning forward, trying to appear friendly. "There are others, much more profitable for us both. "

"What do you propose then? "

"An alliance. "

"You can't be serious. ", his eyes almost popped out of his head, "An alliance with the devils? "

"Oh, but I very much am. Let's lay the facts on the table, shall we? ", she leaned backwards in her chair, a smug smile on her face, "Paradis has very vast resources, and you want those. Now don't look so surprised, did you really think that we are stupid enough to believe you would invade us just because of our past? There are huge profits hidden on that tiny island of ours. On the other hand, we are small. And we have no connection to the outside world. So, this is what I propose. We will open trade negations for our materials, selling them to you at a very good price. In exchange, you will give us protection, and access to other states. "

"If we are so much stronger then you, we could just take the stuff. "

"You could try. And while you would most likely succeed in the end, it would cost you. We are very good at making an invading army bleed out men and resources. So, you want to take the risk? You will end up weakened, and very rich at the same time. Are you completely sure that no other state will take advantage of that? "

There was a bead of sweat slowly rolling down the diplomat's brow. Eren knew that Historia struck a raw nerve. Marley may appear all-mighty to their tiny island, but in comparison to other huge states out there, they weren't as strong as they wanted to appear. They couldn't afford another war, especially now, when they lost their titans and a portion of their soldiers.

"There is one more condition. ", Historia said, "Any Eldian family from Marley that wishes to come and live in Paradis will be allowed to do it. Our alliance will be one of symbiosis, we are not a master and servant, we are partners. "

The official gulped again, "We need to discuss this. "

Historia stood, nodding.

"I expect your answer very soon. ", she said, and left the room, followed by the rest of her envoy.

It took them about an hour, before a man came to fetch them. The officials were in the same positions as they were, with the leader standing up when they entered, extending his hand.

"We accept. "

Another three days were spent in Marley, finishing up details of the deal. That usually meant Armin and Historia being closed in a room with the politicians, trying to tear each other to pieces with diplomatic terms. For Eren and the rest of the crew, it meant three days of free exploration of the city. They were kept under guard, but the men ghosting them were easy to ignore. Now that he wasn't here as a destroyer, he was forced to agree that the city was beautiful. Lively streets, open shops, tons of people going after their business. To them, the war never happened. On the morning of the third day, Mikasa woke to find Eren slipping out of the room they shared, trying to appear as sneaky as possible.

"And where do you think you are going? "

"Just need to take a walk, go back to sleep. ", he said, trying hard not to look suspicious.

"You are not getting in any kind of trouble, are you? "¸she asked, eyes narrowing.

He sighed, walking over to their bed and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I'll be fine, I swear. There is just something I need to do. "

She nodded, relaxing a bit, and laid down, closing her eyes. Eren returned in about an hour, offering no explanation and acting like nothing happened. She thought about forcing the answer out of the soldier that was escorting him but decided against it. He will tell her in time. If they are to share a life together, she needs to give him some space. Eren's prolonged lifespan still felt like a miracle to her. His approaching death pained her greatly, and while she came to terms with it, it felt like a dagger in her heart. When Hange told them about the cleansing, she had to fight to keep tears of happiness from rolling down her cheeks.

When the deal was done and signed by both sides, they prepared to leave. The ship was waiting in the harbor as usual, only now it was accompanied by a group of other vessels, all aiming for Paradis. Some Eldian families, hearing about the treaty, packed up and left for the island. There weren't too many of them, but that was hardly surprising. After all, this was very new. To treat the people over the sea not like devils, but like their kin? It will be a slow process, but Historia was convinced that in the end it will be a successful one.

Back on the boat, heading back home, Eren wrapped his arms around Mikasa's waist, staring into the distance. With this done, there was a last thing he needed to do.

One last thing.


	36. The preparations

The sun was high on the horizon, shining into Armin's office through the windows. The general himself was sitting behind his table, going over one of the many deals with Marley, checking it for details. He had to make sure that there were no hidden articles, legal facts that might be exploited on a future date. It was a week since they came back to Paradis, having negotiated peace no one expected. It was a miracle, really. The greatest threat to their existence banished by a few words from Historia. But the peace meant that Marley diplomats came in. The deals for the raw materials were drafted, checked, and now waited to be signed by him and the queen. His head felt like its going to explode. There were so many phrases and professional terms, the politicians were clearly trying to take advantage of his lack of experience. He would be damned if he let them. Spending most of his waking hours hunched over his desk, he was trying to decipher the words he didn't know. It was hard, tedious work, but he didn't mind. It was certainly better than sending hundreds of his friends to die. Armin groaned, leaning back and rubbing his eyes. There was another reason why he liked being overwhelmed by work. It took his mind off other things. Off Annie.

They buried an empty casket in her name, her body completely destroyed by the Warhammer. On Eren's urging, they did the same for Reiner and Galliard, and even for lady Tybur. Standing over the open grave, looking at the wooden box, Armin felt like his heart was locked in there. Sadness was too weak of a word to describe what he felt. He loved her for such a long time, and the time they spent together was so short. He didn't cry, the tears simply didn't come. But there was a hole in his chest, a hollowness he couldn't fill, didn't know how to. Armin felt Eren's hand on his shoulder, squeezing, offering his support. But he couldn't help him, no one alive could. He appreciated the attempt nonetheless. His musing over the past was interrupted when he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in, ", he called, standing up.

Eren entered, with a smile on his face.

"Hey buddy, how are you doing. "

Armin felt his own moon lighten up, smiling in return and offering his hand. The shifter shook it, taking a seat. The general followed, sitting down himself.

"What can I do for you? ", he asked.

"I came to check on you man, do you realize you haven't left the office for two days? ", said Eren, voice thick with concern.

Armin rubbed his forehead.

"I'm fine, just a lot of work. This peace treaty is something amazing, but we have to make sure its not going to fuck us over. "

"Well, you have to get out of here anyway. "

"And why is that? ", asked the general, curious.

"Well, ", a smile was spreading on his friend's face, "You have a wedding to attend, as my best man. "

"Oh, so you and Mikasa are finally doing it? ", Armin was hardly surprised.

"Yea well, ", the smile died a bit, "You have no idea how much different things you need to do before you can actually have a wedding, would you believe it. I'm actually picking Mikasa up and we have to go and visit Historia, she requested that we talk to her. "

"You have any idea what she wants? "

"No, it's part of the reason why I came to you. ", he looked a bit guilty when he explained, "I know that you are probably covered in work and stuff, but would you come with us? "

"Of course, lets go straight away. ", said Armin, standing up. He wouldn't let his friend in a bind.

Together, they fetched Mikasa from the barracks, where she was once again whipping a group of new recruits into shape. It was hardly a week since the end of the war, but new faces were coming in at a fast pace to sign up. It was necessary, the army was almost non-existent after their losses, they needed to replenish their ranks. And the promise of steady pay and free food was always a strong pull, especially for the families of poor people. Leaving the headquarters, they headed for the royal palace, behind the third wall. Historia was operating from her own office most of the time. She and Armin had the power of the state divided between them, not letting anyone touch it. Yes, it may be interpreted as a dictate, but after saving the lives of their subjects two times in a row, first by winning the war and then by negotiating the peace, they weren't questioned. Reaching the royal chambers, they were admitted in by a pair of guards, clearly veterans.

"Eren, Mikasa, please take a seat. ", Historia said from her place behind the table. Upon seeing Armin, she looked surprised.

"General, I didn't expect you here. "

"I didn't expect myself either, your highness. But Eren asked me to come. "

"Ah, ", she smiled, "Always the cautious one nowadays, aren't you Eren. You used to be different. "

"I was different, your highness. Stupid. I paid for it. "

"Well, since you are all here, we can begin. ", she said, leaning back in her chair. "I am not in a mood for small talk, so I will get straight to the point. Eren, Mikasa, what are your plans after the wedding? "

They looked at each other, surprised. Neither of them told her about it.

"Oh, come now, do you really think I'm that stupid? ", she waved her hand impatiently, "With the war done and our closest threat dealt with, its high time you two finally get on with it. "

"Well, we didn't really talk about our future, we focused on the present, ", said Mikasa, lips pressed into a thin line. She had an uneasy feeling that the queen will not let them off the hook easily.

"All right then. Start talking about it then, because you both are still very important to us. ", Historia's gaze flicked between the pair, "In the meantime, ill have your wedding arranged. "

This time it was Eren who spoke, sounding agitated.

"You don't have to trouble yourself, your highness, we already… "

"Nonsense. ", she interrupted him, "I know that the two of you most likely planned something small, but that will not do. The event will be public, and a big one. "

Chair rattled as Mikasa swiftly stood up, her eyes flaring. She didn't like where this was going.

"I believe that we can plan our own wedding. "

"And you are wrong. ", the queen was regarding her with a cool gaze, unimpressed. "For your information, you are an Ackerman, and he is currently hosting three very important weapons of the state. You both belong to me, partly, whatever you like it or not. Now sit back down. "

Mikasa remained standing, her hands balling into fists. This was getting heated. The last thing they needed was a conflict. I have to cool the atmosphere in the room, thought Armin. He stood up himself, rounding the table and taking a place next to Historia.

"Mikasa please, don't do anything rash, lets talk about this. "

Just when he thought that she will jump over the table and punch him square in the jaw, Eren reached up, putting his palm on her arm. The simple touch was enough for her to loosen her muscles, instead folding her hands on her chest, gaze not leaving the queen. Still standing, she nodded on Armin to continue, willing to listen to his part. He took a deep breath.

"I know that you both didn't like what you heard, but it's the truth. Eren does have the titans inside him, and they are very important to us. As long as our technology is so far behind the rest of the world, the shifters are our best weapon. He was already our strongest, and now with the strength of the Warhammer, he is a menace to whole nations. We need him if we are to appear strong. And well, I guess I don't need to say that you are our strongest soldier, especially now with Levi's allegiances being investigated. You both are simply required if Eldia is to remain independent. "

Mikasa sighed, sitting down. Eren put his hand on her thigh and she covered his palm with hers, their fingers intertwining. They were both listening intently. Armin knew that hearing this, it must be painful for them. Sure, their life together will be far longer then either of them expected but leaving the army as they planned to was simply impossible. He felt for his friends, he really did, but the nation can't simply fold their strongest weapons, especially when it was a weak one, like Paradis.

"I know that both of you wanted a simple wedding, with just a few friends, but try to see the bigger picture. The people needs something happy in their lives, now that they only felt strife and sorrow for such a long time. The war has left many families torn, hundreds of people died. The union between the shifter and a war hero is exactly the thing to lift their spirits. We need to show them what we fought for. For our future. For the freedom to do what we want to do, like marrying the person we love. "

They looked at each other, some kind of wordless conversation happening between them. After just a few seconds, Mikasa looked back at Armin, surrender written on her face.

"All right, we accept. The wedding will be a public one. "

"Marvelous. ", Historia clapped, smiling, "All I need is to know who your best man and maid of honor will be. I'll have my people take care of the rest. "

"Armin and Sasha ", she said without a moment of thought.

The queen nodded, waving her hand and releasing them from her grasp. Armin watched them stand up and leave, hand in hand. Historia was already calling for the guards, to have the experts needed to prepare the wedding brought to her. She seemed right in her element. Bowing, Armin took his own leave, heading back to the office. He still had a lot of work to do. And a suit to find.

Eren and Mikasa walked slowly, taking their time. After all, they had nowhere to be at the moment. She felt him stop and pull her closer, palm reaching up to caress her cheek. She leaned into the touch, smiling. The happiness of just being together, knowing that their time will not be rudely interrupted by the curse, it warmed them both inside and out.

"I guess that leaving the military was always just a pipe dream. ", he chuckled, thumb tracing the scar under her eye.

"We will have our time together, Historia can go to hell for all I care. ", she murmured, stubborn.

"Being in the army won't prevent us from that, I still want to build a house with you. "

"Another one? ", she laughed, opening her eyes into his.

"Yea, one outside of the walls. We might need additional space you know, if our family would grow in the future. "

"Ooh, don't get ahead of yourself mister. "

"Wouldn't dream of it. ", he whispered as he closed the short distance between them and kissed her.

"As much as I hate to break the mood, ", she said when they parted, "I think its perfect time to go see him. "

He frowned.

"You sure? "

"Positive. "

Taking his hand, she led them down the street, rounding a few corners until they reached the prison. Going down the stairs, they arrived at the dungeon, finding the one prisoner they were looking for.

"Hey Levi. "

The former commander looked up from the bed, frowning. The scar across his head was clearly visible, massive cut that parted his face from the corner of his chin all the way to the opposite corner of the forehead. He ditched his bandages as soon as he could, wearing the healing flesh like a badge of honor.

"What are you two shitheads doing here? "

"Just came to see how you are doing. What, can't we visit? "

He groaned, pushing himself off the mattress and crossing the short distance to the bars, leaning on them.

"I just thought that maybe you had better things to do. ", his eyes found Mikasa's, and he grimaced.

"Ackerman, I want to apologize for the cut, again. I couldn't control myself. "

"Yeah, we guessed as much. ", she responded, hand pressing on the wound on her abdomen, "How is Hange doing with the research? "

Levi shook his head.

"I don't know, I'm a prisoner here, they don't really tell me things. She just comes, takes what she needs and leaves. But the pain was pretty terrible, let me tell you that. "

"When you got injected? ", asked Eren.

"No. When the fucker died. I could feel it when I woke up. I just felt so empty. It was similar to the way I felt when Erwin died. "

His hands squeezed the bars, knuckles bleeding white.

"That bastard soiled my memory of the greatest man I ever knew with his fucking self-insertion. You can't possibly imagine how much I hate him. "

"He's dead you know. "

"I do, it doesn't make me hate him any less. "

Perhaps it was time to shift the conversation towards lighter things, thought Eren, seeing the bars slightly bend in Levi's grasp.

"Listen, we came here to ask you something. Would you attend our wedding? "

The short man looked up, disgusted.

"You really think I want to see you two kissing in public? I had trouble not throwing up when I caught you the few times back in the army. "

They both at least had some dignity to look embarrassed. They didn't get walked on too many times, but their record wasn't clean either.

Levi watched them for a time, before a very rare smile cracked on his face.

"Off course I'll go to your damned wedding. "


	37. Forever and ever

Mikasa Ackerman hardly ever imagined her wedding day. Maybe in the past, when she used to be an innocent little girl, she had fantasies. But then the reality came, with blood and death, and banished any such thoughts from her mind. Yet now, after all those years, here it was. Today was the day she will say her vows and enter a life together with a man. A man she loved, ever since he was a boy, ever since he saved her life. She tugged on the scarf around her neck, the memento of the fateful night, wishing Eren was here with her. But the queen decided otherwise.

The people planning their wedding for them had a very clear vision. The wife and husband will be paraded through the city by different routes, to cover as much ground as possible. They will reach the place of the ceremony, the royal castle, in different times, with Eren arriving first. The wedding itself will be held in the biggest hall in the building, to host as many guests as possible. The queen herself will be the one conducting the marriage. With that done, they will once again be taken for a ride through the city, together this time, to the feast. The revelries will last whole night till the next morning.

Mikasa sighed. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that her wedding day will be a national celebration. She would be perfectly content with just a small circle of friends. But as Historia said, the nation needed this, to take their minds off the suffering and pain they endured. At least they were allowed to have their own vows. Mikasa tried writing it down, but the words simply weren't coming to her. She loved Eren, and was happy to marry him, but expressing it through words felt impossible. In the end, she gave up. When the time comes, she will know what to say. She suspected that her husband-to-be had a similar problem but couldn't ask him personally. They were separated, the day before the wedding, and he was taken away to a different location to be prepared for his big day. She was forced to spend the night alone, hardly sleeping. In the morning, Rose came, and took Carla, so the baby wouldn't halt the preparations. Soon after the woman left, Mikasa was swarmed by an army of stylists, determined to make her look as good as possible.

For all her experience on the field of battle, the girl was quite clueless when it came to things of beauty. Spending her life in the army, she never had a need for things like make up, or pretty dresses. She never worried how to do her hair, or if the shoes she wears are shiny enough. The torture began. First, they stripped her, demanding that she takes a bath, even thought she had one just the day before. To her horror, she was accompanied by one of the ladies, determined to make sure she washed properly. When she was deemed clean, the stern-faced woman pulled out a razor, and without batting an eyelash started shaving any hair on her body, including public hair. Following this humiliation, more followed. Mikasa was given some lacy underwear, and the group started working on her hair and face. Her scars were examined and decided to be left alone. They were proofs or honor, and her future husband had them all memorized anyway. He spent countless night tracing them with his lips or fingertips. For the bride, it meant sitting completely still while the women talked between themselves, trying different approaches to bring out her features. They were very pleased with her facial structure, calling her sharp cheek bones and slanted eyes exotic and sexy. The same voices then murmured their disagreement with the rough treatment she used in the past on her hair. It was still very short, she cut it recently, during the time her squad got separated from the rest of the army. With a dagger, in the middle of the forest.

Mikasa had no idea what half of the words they used meant. She never used make-up in her life, aiming to kill her enemies, not charm them. When it came to her hair, the only thing she ever did was washing. Letting the ladies work their magic, she let her mind wander to other places. After some time however, they were done. Not even letting her look in the mirror, they immediately started picking a dress for her. That consisted of them dressing her up in one, taking a look, and then stripping her and trying a different one. Mikasa felt like a doll. They talked between themselves, deciding which cut was most pleasing in combination with her muscled and lean figure. Bringing out her chest was a challenge, since her breasts were quite small to begin with. It got much worse when they started adding shoes to the mix. She never wore heels in her life. Why would you fight in high-heeled shoes? The only thing that saved her was her natural grace and great agility, which allowed her to adapt rather quickly to this new enemy. The jewelry followed. And, just like that, they were done. Saying their goodbyes, the women left, leaving her alone to wait.

That was she was doing now. Waiting. Standing by the window in a white dress and shoes that were quite uncomfortable, looking at the sun shining over the roofs. There was a knot of anxiety in her stomach. Mikasa was a shy character, and the thought of being presented to the whole city, like an exotic animal, wasn't sitting well with her. She balled her fists. I can do it. Its just a short journey, and then she will be reunited with Eren again. This time for good. There was a knock on the door, followed by Sasha coming in, looking beautiful in her own dress, hair let loose waving over her shoulders in beautiful brown cascade.

"Oh my god, you look beautiful. ", she said upon seeing Mikasa, covering her mouth.

"You think so? "

"Yes! Eren is the luckiest man in the world! "

She came closer, taking her hands in her own.

"You are perfect, and anyone who will see you will think so too. "

Mikasa felt the knot lighten a bit, smiling at her friend.

"But I'm rambling. It's time, the carriage is waiting ", said Sasha, guiding her to the door and outside.

She took a deep breath, steadying herself as the driver cracked his whip, the horses pulling her towards the palace. Perhaps it won't be so bad after all.

Originally, Eren was supposed to receive similar treatment like his fiancé. But after one of the gentlemen suggested that he cut his hair, he exploded. The remark was quite innocent, and he overreacted, but the stress was just too much. Ever since he got taken to this house, spending the night alone, the nervousness in him was rising. Was this really happening? Was he really marrying Mikasa? So, he snapped at the first opportunity, threatening to shift and bury them all in rubble if they don't leave at once. After they made quite a quick exit, he took a bath by himself, and dressed in one of the suits that was left for him. Armin came soon after, laughing when he told him about his incident.

"You think Mikasa actually let them dress her? ", he asked his friend as they walked to his own carriage.

"Unlike you, she doesn't snap at people who are sent to help her. ", the blonde said, taking a seat across his friend.

Hearing this piqued his curiousness. He never saw her in a dress, now that he thought about it. Most of the time she wore uniform, and the few times they didn't have to be battle ready, just a simple shirt and long skirt. Determined to take his mind off imagining her in one, because his pants were quite tight, he looked from the coach, seeing the people who gathered. They were pressed on the sides of the road, cheering. Eren never expected so many. The huge numbers only strengthened his belief that Historia is an amazing politician. She managed to spin the story of two war heroes starting a family together so well, that everyone seemed to forget that they were both freaks. He was a titan, something everyone in the walls feared, and she was an Ackerman, product of science. Yet now no one seemed to care.

They reached the palace first, as scheduled, and went inside. The room where the wedding will take place was packed already. There were all different kinds of people. Politicians, merchants, workers, members of the military and even children. There were several Marley legates, invited to witness this historical union. Special places in the front were filled with their closest friends. Connie, looking a bit lost without Sasha, was scratching his head, saying something to Jean, who looked like he just woke up. Hange was gushing over Carla, held by Rose, with stone-faced Levi standing next to her. The former commander was ghosted by two men in dark suits, clearly his guards. He may have been allowed to visit the wedding, but he was clearly still under suspicions. Historia was sitting on her throne at the front of the room, looking regal in very expensive dress, with a crown on her head, a fortune in jewelry glittering on her body. Eren took his place in front of her, Armin behind him, waiting for the woman of his dreams to arrive. He heard cheering at the front as the other carriage arrived, the door opening to let Sasha hop off, holding a helping hand for the other occupant to reach the ground safely.

She was an angel. No human could look this perfect. Eren felt his heart rise to his throat, he was supposed to marry this? He was just a mere mortal, he didn't deserve it, there was no way. As the astral being glided gracefully closer, he could see her perfectly. Her lips were much redder than usual, making them stand out against her pale skin. Her eyes were dark and deep, threatening to drown him if he looks into them for too long. Long eyelashes added to the captivating effect, fluttering when she blinked. Her hair, still short, was somehow made to shine, framing her face. The dress she wore was low cut, but still modest, revealing her sharp collarbones and giving a hint of the swell of her chest. And she wore the scarf. Of course she did. He felt Armin lean closer.

"You forgot to breathe. ", he whispered.

Eren took a shuddering inhale, fighting back the need to touch her to make sure this is not a dream. She came close, smiling, which lit her features impossibly even more. He gulped, completely perplexed, words choking in his throat.

"We can begin ", came the queen's voice clearly.

Everyone quieted as Historia stood, drawing all eyes to her.

"We have gathered ourselves here to witness a union between Eren Yeager and Mikasa Ackerman. You may know them as war heroes, giving their everything to protect our nation, to protect us. But today, they are not here as soldiers. Today, they are simply a man and woman, who love each other and wish to enter a life together. But today is not about me, so I will stop taking your valuable time. Eren, Mikasa, your vows if you please. "

Eren prepared something, he was sure of it, but now he couldn't think. The words simply started pouring out on their own.

"Mikasa Ackerman, everyone here knows you for the goddess you are. If not for you, I would be dead a hundred times over, and maybe it would be for the best. Because without you, I wouldn't want to live. You bring joy into my life, lighting up the corners of my heart that I didn't even know existed. When I wake up next to you in the morning, I feel like the world is perfect. I said it before, and I will say It again. Love is not enough to describe what I feel for you. You complete me in a way I never thought possible. With you, all my fears and weaknesses melt away, because when you are with me, I am the happiest man alive. I promise to love and cherish you every day of my life, in sickness and health, because it's something you deserve without a question. I love you. "

She fought back the tears that were coming to her eyes, threatening to smudge the carefully applied eye liner. But for once in her life, she lost the battle. They spilled freely, leaving a trail of black color down her cheeks. Neither of them cared. All she could see was his face, radiating so much adoration for her that it burned any sort of anxiety or fright right out of her. She knew exactly what to say.

"The world is a cruel place. I learned this very young, the night when my parents were taken away from me. The same night that you saved me. I fell in love with you right there and then, even before I knew what it meant. And I had no time to learn it. The world continued to be cruel to us. We cut our path through it, with blades and muscles, leaving a trail of blood and death in our wake. You saved my life again, and I saved yours, and we continued our journey to nowhere. We had no idea what the future holds, our goal was to live to see tomorrow. As we grew older, nothing changed. New enemies came and went as the world kept on testing us. Yet perhaps it was all the pain that let us forge such a strong bond between us. We overcame all odds, doing the impossible again and again. We made a new life, together, something I never even dared dreaming of. The world is cruel, but also very beautiful. We are here, today, together. We did it, Eren. We showed the world that we are stronger then anything it can throw at us. So please, can we get on with this, I really want to marry you. "

He chuckled, feeling his own tears. They were really doing this. Historia nodded at Armin, who produced the rings out of his pocket. Eren slid one onto her finger, as she did on his, claiming each other. There was nothing more to tell.

"By the power given to me by the Eldian people, I now pronounce you husband and wife. ", said Historia in a strong voice, carrying over the rows of people.

"You may kiss the bride. "

Eren pulled Mikasa to him, delicately pushing his lips onto hers, like so many times before. Their first married kiss was slightly salty, on account of their combined tears. The room erupted in cheering. Armin was grinning, Sasha was drying her own eyes, Connie and Jean were doing the loudest noises out of everyone present while Hange was openly crying. Carla had no idea what's going on, looking surprised by the sudden noise while Rose smiled. Levi was trying to appear as serious as possible, clearing the moisture obscuring his sight with his sleeve. Followed by whooping that seemed to shake the room, they newlywed couple boarded the carriage, waving at the masses. The celebrations were just beginning.

Say what you want about the queen, but she went all out. The tables were laden with food, which was even more impressive considering the recent war. The drinks were plenty, as the revelries were growing crazier with every passing minute. There was music, dancing and everything else that comes with a lot of people getting drunk together. Luckily the crown was sparing no expenses. Historia appeared on the celebrations, nodding gracefully to the cheering masses. She had a seat at the main table, between Armin and Jean. They were all present, even Levi who was trying his hardest to appear unaffected. The first to retire was Rose, taking Carla with her after her parents said their good nights to the baby. As the night dragged, more people left, but the numbers were hardly thinning. To everyone's surprise, the queen herself remained, drinking enough to shame almost everyone else at the table, except for Jean. Connie made the mistake of challenging the cavalry commander to a game, which ended with him falling under the table and snoring peacefully. Sasha followed her boyfriend soon enough, falling asleep with her head on the desk, hand still squeezing a piece of potato. More and more of the attendees were dozing off, having no stops now that they could finally celebrate something in peace. Jean stood up, going for a smoke, and Armin joined him, wanting to clear his head. Eren whispered something to Mikasa which made her giggle, and they left, hand in hand for a more private celebration of their joining. The queen stood, swayed on her feet, and was quickly escorted back to the palace by the ever-present guards. Seeing that everyone was gone, Levi picked up sleeping Hange and carried her away, his own guards following close by.

The sun was almost rising, Armin noted, looking at the horizon. Morning will come soon. Jean was next to him, cigarette between his lips, staring into the distance. The general stretched, breathing in the cold air of the night.

"You realize you can break the curse. ", Jean said, breathing out the smoke.

"Ah, yes, of course. ", Armin grimaced, "All I must do is eat three babies who did nothing but were born with the titans inside their bodies. "

"Maybe it would be worth it. ", Jean shrugged his shoulders, "A lot of kids died in the war. And mind like yours is born once in a hundred years. "

"But didn't we fight so no more children have to die? ", Armin asked.

Jean had no answer. He pulled on the cigarette again instead.

"I see your point, but I don't think I even want to live that long. We are creatures of war, Jean. Perhaps its for the better if we just fade away. The only ones I feel sorry for are the kids. The curse will continue, we didn't solve it. Everyone with titan power will die in thirteen years, save for Eren. Doesn't really sound fair, does it. "

"Perhaps we can find a cure. A few years back, we had no idea that we are not the last people in the world. Our reality is changing, rapidly. Old rules are broken, barriers shattered. There might be a solution, just waiting to be discovered. "

"Maybe you are right, old friend. "

They both fell silent, gazing on the rising sun. Armin closed his eyes, letting it illuminate him, chase the shadows from his soul. Are you watching Annie?

It was nearly morning when they got home, not rushing the walk. They fell through the door, both giggling for some reason neither of them really knew. Eren closed the door, walking to his wife, closing her in an embrace.

"Still feel like a dream doesn't it. "

She hummed her agreement. Pressing her body into his, closing her eyes. They did it.

"I have a surprise for you ", he said, pressing a kiss to her head.

He started undoing the buttons of his sleeve, rolling it back. When his wrist was freed, he turned it, letting the light fall on the intricated pattern etched into his skin. Mikasa started at it. It was the same tattoo she had, the one from her mother.

"I know that it might looks stupid, ", Eren said, scratching his head, "I had It done in Marley, the day I went to the city on my own. I spend a few nights sketching a copy of yours, from your wrist, when you were asleep. I just wanted something to connect us even more, now that we are family. What do you think about it? ", now that he looked at it, he wasn't sure if she would like it, "I can just burn it out or something, if you want, and heal the skin afterwards. It's… "

"Eren, it's perfect ", she said kissing him to stop any further words from spilling out. The gesture was beautiful. Now everyone could see that they belong together. Forever. He was the one to break the kiss, pressing his forehead against hers, a smile playing on his lips.

"You know, technically, we still aren't married. "

"What do you mean? ", she asked, frowning.

"We still haven't consummated the marriage. ", he whispered in her ear, in a low tone that set her whole body ablaze.

Leaning closer to let her own lips brush his ear, she whispered back.

"What are you waiting for? "


	38. Something ends, something begins

Eren Yeager, the host of three monstrous titans, vanquisher of whole armies and a nightmare of any military in the world, was woken from his peaceful slumber by a crying child. He groaned, rolling on his back, eyes opening to the ceiling. Judging from the light, it was still very early morning. Too early to be awake. Unless you were a year old, apparently. He turned his head, seeking some support from his wife, but all he could see was her bare back, turned to him.

"Your child is crying. ", he said, poking her shoulder-blade.

"It's your child now, I took care of her yesterday. ", came her muffled voice. She turned just enough to offer him a lazy smile, saying: "Go get them tiger. ", before slumping back to the pillow.

Because, as usual, she was right, he pressed one last kiss to her skin before rolling off the bed in search of his pants. After locating his clothing, scattered across the bedroom floor, he made his way to the kid's room, to see what the whole commotion was about. Stepping inside, he saw that all three of his children were wide awake. Carla was standing over the crib, looking inside, while Hannes was sitting on the bed, rubbing his eyes. The culprit of this whole incident laid on her mattress, red-faced, crying and kicking into the air. As opposed to both Carla and Hannes, her older siblings, Annie was anything but quiet. She loved attention of any kind. Waking up everyone in the middle of the night, just because she felt like it, was nothing new under the sun. She even developed a keen sense for interrupting important activities, like bursting in tears while her parents were in middle of having sex. The incredible timing led Eren to nickname his youngest daughter, calling her a little cockblock. That lasted for about five seconds, because Carla asked what a cockblock is, and the murderous gaze that Mikasa sent Eren's way made him reconsider his decision.

"So, what do we have here? ", he asked, coming to stand next to Carla. The second Annie saw him, her crying stopped, and she extended her tiny arms towards her father, laughing instead.

"I think she pooped herself. ", said Carla, sniffing the air.

Judging from the unpleasant aroma in the air, his five-year old daughter was right. Picking the baby up, Eren made a quick journey to the bathroom, to clean her up. While his hands were automatically fulfilling the task, which he already did hundreds of times over the course of raising three kids, his mind wandered.

It's been three years. Three years since the wedding, the happiest day of his life. Things have taken quite a quick pace since then. They were both still members of the military, too valuable to let go, as Historia put it. But ever since the deal with Marley, the lives on Paradis have turned out to be far better. With a steady flow of trade flowing in and out of the island kingdom, the massive army of their neighbor was protecting them like a ferocious dog. Any history of wars or talk of the devils was quickly forgotten when faced with the profits. Money rules the world, after all. The investigation of Levi turned out to be conflicted, with Hange calling his action controlled, while other voices cried for his punishment. As an attempt to please both sides, he was demoted, switching places with Mikasa. Eren's wife was now the supreme military leader, while the older man was put in charge of the special squads.

The sudden promotion didn't mean much change for their life anyway. The whole army of Paradis was hardly required, now that Marley was acting as their guardian. The pair took days off often, with both Historia and Armin being away for diplomatic missions, no one could really stop them. Eren finally had the time to pursue his dream of being a doctor, training both in Paradis and in Marley, finally becoming one just a year and a half back. He had a natural talent, the paths giving him memories to use, especially those which belonged to his father. The biggest trial of his skills was the birth of Annie, who he delivered himself.

Coming back to reality, he noticed that she is quite clean, and silent for once, chewing on her own fist. Picking her up, he carried her back to the room. Upon seeing the crib, however, she started getting misty-eyed again, clearly not wanting to go back to bed. Eren sighed, looking for an alternate solution.

"I can take care of her. ", said Carla, extending her hands to relieve him of his sniffing burden.

His eldest was everything he was not as a child. Calm, smart, liked to think about stuff. She talked way better then other kids her age, often asking questions that surprised both of her parents. At just five years, she was already teaching Hannes to talk better, something her brother seemed to enjoy. Surprisingly. He gladly passed Annie to Carla's waiting arms, the baby looking content with the change of her caretaker. Leaving the room, all he heard was her excited babbling, with Carla whispering something back, looking very secretive.

Reaching kitchen, he looked out of the window, noticing that dawn was not that far off. He could go back to bed and try to catch the last hour of sleep. Or he could stay up and do something useful. They had to get up early anyway, since today was the day the family would be returning to the city. They weren't inside the walls, at the moment. Being man of his word, Eren build a new house, outside of the town, right next to the ocean. The location was quite lovely, he picked it himself. The building itself was a test of a kind. He decided to use his Warhammer hardening abilities. It was tedious at times, the level of details he had to work on. Much harder then to simply sprout spikes from the ground. But he managed. In the end, he was able to create the whole building as a single piece of hardened armor. Quite a feat.

Deciding to skip sleep to make breakfast, he exited through the front door to Mikasa's garden, picking some vegetables. She was very fond of it. He understood her completely. Both felt the need to create something with their hands, rather then destroy and kill. For him, it meant learning the doctor trade and helping others. The nearby village was very thankful for his medical expertise, they were all Eldians who came over the ocean, from Marley, and had no doctor of their own among them. So, while he was healing wounds, Mikasa was working the ground, making the plants grow. Her garden was a thing of beauty, expertly combining flowers with food-growing plants. Gathering enough for his needs, he went to pick the eggs. Animals were another of Mikasa's ideas. The house was remote, with a lot of place around. So why not make it into a farm? Following his wife's wish, Eren once again used his hardening ability to create another building, this time a stable. Horses were vital for them, since they needed to move between the city and their home. The building, which Eren stubbornly called Jean's guesthouse, was soon joined by a hen house, and Mikasa was considering buying a cow or a few sheep. With eggs and plants in hand, Eren returned to the house and began cooking.

It didn't take long before the delicious smell of omelet filled the house. He was quite good in kitchen, making food was a relaxing activity. Setting the table, he heard soft footsteps behind him, before a pair of arms wrapped around his waist, and a kiss was pressed to his cheek. Mikasa rested her head on his shoulder, sniffing the air.

"It smells beautiful here. ", she said, smiling.

"Not as beautiful as you. ", he muttered, wanting to sound suave.

Before she could answer, the kids bursted into the room, clearly wanting to devour the fruits of his labor. The next hour or so was filled with eating, talking and getting ready for the day ahead. The sun was up when they left, heading for the walls. Road was already well-known to them, since they had to ride it every time to get home, or back to the place they both worked at. For Eren's family, the freedom of having two homes allowed them to be as mobile as they wanted to. If he or Mikasa were needed in the military for an extended period, they stayed in Shiganshina, if they had time off, they left for their farm. The area around it was waking up as well, people going about their business. If there was one word to describe the recent period, it was profitable. Both people and money poured into the island, and the kingdom quickly developed. Trade soared, technology was researched, and more and more diplomatic connections were made. Historia was very popular, the young queen making herself known to the other states. She was accompanied by Armin most of the time, the general finally fulfilling his dream of seeing the world. Eren and Mikasa both came with him many times, seeing things they never thought possible, but in the end, they always wanted to return home. Armin was different, with nothing holding him to the island, he spent most of his life outside of it. Traveling everywhere he wanted to.

Right now, they headed back because Mikasa was required to sign some papers, the other reason being that Armin was back. He returned just a day past, sending words to his friend to visit him. The kids will be overjoyed to see their uncle again, before he disappears on yet another journey. The walls were growing on the horizon, signaling the arrival to their destination. First things first, they had to visit Rose's house to drop off the kids. The old woman was more than happy to take care of them, especially now when her own son has married and moved out of the house. Having completed that task, the couple rode to the headquarters. Going inside, they met Connie sitting in the mess hall, trying his hardest not to fall asleep. All their friends remained in the army after the war, keeping their high positions. It felt good seeing them regularly.

"Hey Connie, you look terrible. ", said Eren, clapping him on the shoulder and taking a seat next to him.

Mikasa, dutiful as always, waved at them and left for her office, to finish the tasks of her day as soon as possible. She was holding most of the power, when Historia and Armin were gone. Eren's newly gained medical skills were put to military use as well. He was now teaching the soldiers everything from first aid to field surgery. But his work could wait, he didn't talk to Connie for some time.

"I didn't sleep last night. ", confessed the infantry commander, rubbing his eyes.

"What kept you? "

"Sasha. "

Connie and Sasha got married not long after Eren's own wedding. Their ceremony was small, in just a circle of friends, but it was sweet. A few months back, Sasha got pregnant, which meant a lot of sleepless nights for her husband. Eren felt sympathy towards his friend. He went through the same thing three times already.

"She has the weirdest cravings. Yesterday, I had to get up in the middle of the night to cook a duck for her. Duck. At midnight. Can you believe that. "

"Mikasa also had some weird tastes, believe me. You just must grit your teeth and obey. After all, the kid is your fault too, isn't it? "

Connie looked up, exhaustion set deep in his eyes.

"Does it get better? "

Eren chuckled, standing up.

"Not really. "

Connie's head fell back on the table. Deciding that now is the time to see his friend, Eren took the stairs up to the general's office. Knocking, he entered, being greeted by the tall man with long blonde hair pulled into a ponytail. Years might have passed, but the light that shone in Armin's eyes was the same. His skin looked tanned, indicating that his last trip was somewhere with considerably more sun than Paradis. They sat down to talk, passing hours by simply taking their minds off work to more pleasurable things. Armin told him about his adventures, the places he seen and visited, saying that next time he goes, he and Mikasa must definitely come with him. Eren said that he has no problem with that, as long as his wife wants to come. It felt good, knowing that while they were forced to spend their childhoods behind the walls, their kids don't have to. The world was open now, they could go anywhere they wanted to. Noticing that the sun set behind the windows, Eren excused himself, wanting to go see how Mikasa is doing.

"Just a moment. ", said Armin, digging through his desk for a file.

The shifter felt his heart drop. Seems like he will have work to do again. If there was something he learned from Historia, it was that power was a currency. A different type than money, it was used to buy favors, appease the important or bully the less fortunate. The queen used everything Paradis had to secure its current stable position. She succeeded, but it came at price. For Eren, it meant that a few times a year, he was asked to go and board a ship, which took him to a different part of the world. There, he would be greeted by a Marley officer, and given a briefing of what to do. Then he would be left to rain terror upon the unfortunate. As the power of their neighbor grew, so did their ambition. The Marley military was in constant war with numerous weaker states, stretching their forces. So, a deal was made. Historia traded her strongest weapon for different favors. Eren was tasked with destruction of the armies that threatened to turn the tide of the conflicts.

He was a weapon of highest need, Historia wasn't selling him cheap. Those missions were just a few times a year, he wasn't working with the Marley military full time. If he was being honest, they were good for him. The Attack titan inside was dormant most of the time, but that didn't mean he was dead. He was still very much thirsting for a challenge, a battle. Those mission's Eren got sent on were the times where he let his titan lose, to sate his bloodthirst. He wasn't in any danger really. The hardened substance in combination with Warhammer's incredible skill of generating it in matter of seconds made him virtually untouchable. His armor could be damaged just by the most powerful of the enemy cannons, and any dent in it healed itself in a matter of second. He was a god on the battlefield, truly, nothing could stand before him. His human side didn't enjoy it, he wanted to be a father, a doctor, something his children could look up to. But his titan was liking those annihilations of whole armies very much.

Armin finally found what he was looking for, a file, and opened it, taking out a piece of paper. He seemed very amused for some reason, trying to keep a straight face.

"All right, so I have been presented with a very special problem. Seems like someone wanted to report a certain breach of etiquette. "

"What's so special about it? ", frowned Eren. Reports were a common issue, he has dealt with his own share of them.

"You see, the person accused of said deed is a very high military official. A high commander of the army. Her name is Mikasa Yeager. Heard of her? "

He felt his face grow red, as he scratched the back of his head.

"What's the report about? "

"Well, someone saw Mrs. Yeager in the stables, with an unknown male, having, what should I call it, sexual intercourse? That, of course, is a serious breach of military etiquette, and something should be done about that, don't you agree? "

Armin was almost openly laughing now, trying hard to keep it in.

"Eh, look buddy, we just fooled around a bit, there is no harm in that. ", Eren was really feeling embarrassed now. Someone saw them in the stables? What about the other times they were together in the headquarters? Were they getting spied on?

Armin couldn't hold it. Laughter bursting out of him.

"C'mon man, you are married for three years already. Can't you two act like adults for a minute? "

"It's hard man. She's just too pretty. "

Tearing the report in half, the general stood and shook Eren's hand, dismissing him. He turned around on his way out, remembering something.

"You are invited to dinner tonight. And Mikasa won't take no for an answer! "

"Ill be there. I was looking forward to seeing the kids anyway. "

Eren nodded, exiting the office and walking over to where his wife was staying. Suddenly, a door opened, and Hange almost ran into him, giggling and straightening her clothes. Seeing him, she winked before walking past and disappearing around a corner. He didn't even have to look whose office she walked out of, but a quick glance confirmed his suspicion, seeing Levi scowling at him through the open doors. The short man was a friend, for all his brash attitude. He loved the kids, Hannes especially, even though he would rather die then say it out loud. He and Hange visited more often than Eren ever hoped they would, the scientist was completely fascinated with Carla. Her high intelligence and quick mental development must have some connection to her father being a shifter and her mother an Ackerman, she was sure of it. Mikasa would never let her do any harmful experiments to her child, but all Hange wanted was just to talk to their daughter, and their eldest seemed to like aunt Hange a lot, so everything was fine. Nodding at Levi, Eren closed the doors to the office, continuing his way.

Reaching Mikasa's room he entered to find that all her work was done. Together, they went down to the stables, meeting Jean along the way. The cavalry commander seemed in a better shape then the last time they saw him. His drinking was decreasing, and he was taking more care of himself. Sasha told them that its because of a girl he's seeing, but that might be just a gossip. After stopping to talk to their friend for a time, they took their horses and left, heading back to Shiganshina. Picking up the kids, inviting Rose over for the meal, and stopping at market for some meat, they reached their home. They started cooking dinner, working in unison perfected over the course of years together. Just when the meat was finished and put in the oven to roast, Mikasa suddenly caught his hand and pulled him closer, her eyes twinkling.

"Something wrong? ", he asked, smiling at her. She just made him so stupidly happy.

"I had an appointment today, ", she said, intertwining their fingers, "With a doctor. "

"You could have just come to me, ", he frowned, "I'm a trained medical expert you know. "

"I know, I just wanted someone else's opinion. "

"Hmm. And what did the good doctor say? "

She moved closer, letting her lips brush his earlobe when she whispered.

"I'm pregnant. "

Eren was frozen for a moment, taking the information in. Another kid. Another row of sleepless nights. Another crying devil to disturb your day. Fuck, he was so happy. Laughing, he spun Mikasa around, before setting her down for a kiss. It didn't matter how many times he did it, but every time he touched her lips, so soft and warm, it reminded him of everything he loved. She was his home. When they finally separated to breathe, there was a knock on the door.

"That must be Armin. "

Walking to open the door for his friend, he couldn't help but smile. It didn't matter how many children they will have. It didn't matter what the fate will throw their way. As long as they are together, he and Mikasa will deal with anything.

Forever.


End file.
